PREFACE. 



It is one of the duties we owe to society, 
that the pleasures we enjoy, and the difficulties 
we encounter in our own experience, should 
be made conducive to the benefit of others, 
who may in future be similarly circumstanced 
with ourselves. Deeming it probable that 
many individuals under the necessity of has- 
tening from England to the south of France, 
may wish to know something of the climate, 
the scenery, and the inhabitants of that sa- 
lubrious region, it is my desire in offering 
the present work to the public, not only to 
supply information to such travellers; but 
to afford amusement, interest, and I would 



iv 



PREFACE. 



fain hope, some degree of instruction, to those 
whose circumstances or inclination detain 
them at home. 

In this attempt, I have been chiefly stimu- 
lated by the inconvenience I myself expe- 
rienced in leaving England, without being 
able to meet with any work containing the 
information of which I was in want; for 
amongst the few writers who have made the 
Pyrenees the subject of their observations, 
there is, I believe, not one who has written 
more recently than eight or ten years ago ; 
while the annual influx of strangers into this 
part of France, the increased facilities for 
travelling, and the improvements in general 
accommodation are now so great, that the 
neighbourhood of the Pyrenees can only be 
said to be the same as it was ten years ago, 
in the simplicity of its peculiar people, the 
luxury of its delicious climate, and the almost 
unrivalled beauty of its majestic and varied 
scenery. 



PREFACE. 



In alluding to the writers in whose steps 
it would have been presumption for me to 
tread, but for the circumstance already stated, 
I must not omit to mention the lively and 
spirit-stirring narrative of Mr. Inglis, whose 
talent for description would have left little 
for others to say on this subject, except that 
his notice of the Pyrenees appended to that 
of Switzerland is so short, as to occupy not 
more than a hundred pages, in which there 
is no mention of some favourite situations 
amongst the mountains now much frequented, 
and only a slight and passing notice of Pau. 
Besides which, his book is rendered at once 
more interesting, and less useful, to the 
common order of travellers, by the enter- 
prising spirit and indefatigable energy of the 
writer having led him rather over the summit 
of mountain ranges, than along the beaten 
tracks, which steps less practised and less 
vigorous are condemned to travel. 

In the following pages, I have made no 

a 2 



vi 



PREFACE. 



pretension to observations either of a scien- 
tific or a political nature. Mine is a simple 
detail of impressions made upon my own 
mind, from the scenes and circumstances 
around me ; and although the egotism of this 
style of writing may need some apology, I 
believe it is the only prudent and useful 
method, by which persons of no considerable 
attainment in science or philosophy, can 
transmit to higher and more gifted minds, 
such facts as they may not have the same 
opportunity of witnessing, but from which 
they may thus be enabled to draw important 
conclusions. 

Trusting that the seeming trifles here re- 
corded, and which have been collected from a 
journal kept on the spot, and transmitted at 
different times to my friends in England, 
may now afford gratification to a wider circle, 
I can only wish, that all who read these 
pages may participate in the pleasure I have 
enjoyed, while they escape the fatigue and 



PREFACE. 



vii 



inconvenience by which such pleasure is 
necessarily accompanied ; and that they may 
feel, on behalf of themselves and their friends, 
the same gratitude for those attractions of 
scenery, and advantages of climate, which 
will always be associated with my recollec- 
tions of a residence of fifteen months amongst 
the Pyrenees. 

Pan, April 2nd, 1841 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. I. 

Departure from Paris — Travelling in France — Arrival at Bor- 
deaux — Climate of the South — French breakfasts — Journey 
from Bordeaux — Department of the Landes — First sight of the 
Pyrenees — Arrival at Pau 1 



CHAP. II. 



General appearance of Pau — Visitors — Public promenades — 
Climate — General appearance of the scenery — Aspect of the 
town — Ancient chateau of Hemy IV 31 



CHAP. III. 



Settlement at Pau — Lodgings — Domestic comfort — Servants — 
General expense of living — Appearance of the people — Horses 
—Women — Costumes — Markets— Price of provisions...... 50 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. IV. 

Burial-ground at Pau — General order and quiet of the town — 
Domestic habits and character of the common people — 
Amusements — Fetes — Religious ceremonies —Nun taking the 
yeil — Protestant worship in France 78 

• 

CHAP. V. 

Excursions— Louvie — Nay^-Eaux Chaudes 107 



CHAP. VI. 

Early history of the town and chateau of Pau — Sovereigns of 
Navarre — Henry II. and Marguerite de Valois — Jeanne D'Albret 
— Cradle and birth-place of Henry IV. — Establishment of 
Protestantism in Beam — Catherine of Navarre — Henry IV. — 
Bernadotte — Traces of the revolution — Illustrious visitors at 
Pau 143 



CHAP. VII. 

Lateness of the spring — English cotton- spinner at Jurancon — 
Visit to a maison de campagne — Pont Long— Comparison of 
English and French cottages-— Lescar— Commencement of 
warm weather — French frogs 170 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. VIII. 

Journey to Eaux Bonnes — Cascades — Mountain shepherd- 
Hints on the subject of sketching — Cultivation of the Valley 
D'Ossau — Pyrenean botanist — Eaux Chaudes— -Gabas — Au- 
berge in the mountains — Thunder-storm 194 



CHAP. IX. 



Journey to Argelez — Hotels in the Pyrenees — Mountain pass 
from Pierrefitte to Luz — Valley of Luz — St. Sauveur — Ga- 
varnie — Passage of the Tourmalet, and arrival at Bagneres de 
Bigorre 234 



CHAP. X. 



Bagneres de Bigorre — Marbrorie — Varieties of knitting — Priory 
of St. Paul — Excursion to the Lac Bleu — Visit of Lamartine to 
Bagneres — Moonlight rambles — Excursion to L'Heris ... 282 



CHAP. XI. 



Advantages of living at Bagneres — French begging — Journey to 
Cauterets, and visit to the Castle of Lourdes — Spaniards — 
Pont D'Espagne, and the Lac de Gaube — Return by way of 
Luz to Bagneres . , 318 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. XII. 

State of agriculture, and division of property in the Pyrenees- 
Early approach of Autumn — Leaving St. Paul — View of the 
Mountains from Tarbes— Remarks upon the climate of the 
South of France— Notices of Oleron, and the Valley D'Aspe 
— Concluding observations on travelling abroad 348 



CHAPTER I. 



DEPARTURE FROM PARIS TRAVELLING IN FRATs CE 

ARRIVAL AT BORDEAUX CLIMATE OF THE SOUTH 

FRENCH BREAKFASTS JOURNEY FROM BORDEAUX 

DEPARTMENT OF THE LANDES — FIRST SIGHT OF 

THE PYRENEES — ARRIVAL AT PAU. 

The friendly relations which for the last five and 
twenty years have so happily subsisted between 
England and France, together with the increased 
facility for travelling on the Continent, which 
the general tranquillity of Europe has afforded, 
have left little to be added to our information re- 
specting France and the French nation in general. 

There are, however, sections of that countiy, 
scarcely rivalled by any other in their grandeur 
and beauty, inhabited by communities whose sim- 
plicity of manners, and characteristic peculiarities, 
cannot fail to interest ; yet whose situation, widely 
remote from the routes most frequently pursued by 
English travellers through France, Switzerland, and 



2 



SUM ME It AND WINTER 



Italy, renders them in many respects, an unknown 
people ; while the beautiful scenery by which they 
are surrounded, remains comparatively unexplored. 

One of these delightful regions, the neighbour- 
hood of the French Pyrenees, Mr. Ellis and myself 
were induced, for the recovery of his health, to visit 
at the close of the year 1839 ; and, deeming it most 
prudent, as the season was so far advanced, not to 
linger by the way, we decided upon travelling by 
the Malle Poste from Paris to Bordeaux, after re- 
maining only a few days in the former city. 

It was on the 27th of December, at seven in the 
evening, that we commenced this journey, having 
been told that if the roads were good, we should 
perform it in thirty-six hours. With so many miles 
of constant travelling before us, it was no small 
satisfaction to find that we had the carriage entirely 
to ourselves, and that besides this, it was so roomy 
and commodious, as to admit of almost any change 
of position. There was, however, one inconveni- 
ence in travelling by the Malle Poste, for which, 
happily, our kind friends in Paris had prepared us. 
We were only permitted to stop for refreshment 
once, by the way ; so that without the provision of 
cold fowl, bread, and water, which we only happened 
to think of the moment before setting out, oursitu- 
ation would have been somewhat deplorable. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



3 



After the acquaintance we had made with 
French diligences and all their equipments, on the 
road from Boulogne to Paris, we considered our- 
selves as setting out in great style in the Malle 
Poste, with four respectable white horses ; and the 
night being dark and rainy, we were not conscious 
until the morning, how far our whole set-out had 
fallen short of the expectations at first excited. 
We then found that although our carriage was 
drawn by five horses instead of four, they were of 
the most grotesque description, — raw-boned and 
shaggy, with their tails tied up in bunches ; and their 
heads, necks, and bodies, hung about with harness 
consisting of thongs of leather neither tanned nor 
cleaned, and arranged in such a manner as would 
baffle the ingenuity of any but a Frenchman. In 
addition to all which, they had immense collars 
hung about with little tinkling bells, which to an 
English ear, would seem to announce a merry 
andrew, rather than a mail coach. 

The postilions too, were as remarkable as the 
animals they drove ; and like them, were changed 
about every five miles. Sometimes these men sat 
in the dicky; sometimes on one of the horses; 
sometimes they wore smart blue jackets ornamented 
with silver lace; sometimes the short blue frocks of 
the peasants ; and sometimes they had the skins of 
b 2 



4 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



dogs or calves tied round them. But whatever 
their garments were composed of, they always 
floated about in the wind, as wild and loose as 
possible. Most of these men wore the wooden shoes 
of the country, turned up at the toe, with a sharp 
point, and sometimes, also, finished off behind with 
a high sharp heel, with which they trod on the 
backs of the horses as they clambered up and down. 

If any one should be disposed to doubt the real 
difference of national character between the French 
and the English, they need only look at such public 
conveyances, to be convinced in a moment, that 
there is something radically dissimilar in their 
modes of thinking and feeling ; or perhaps, I ought 
rather to say, in the impressions they receive from 
the same object. Polite as we all allow them to 
be, and celebrated as they justly are for their good 
taste, the French look every day without a smile, 
or a wish for improvement, upon some of the most 
outlandish machines that ever were constructed for 
the conveyance of passengers ; and which, if they 
were driven along the streets of London, would 
unquestionably attract a mob. 

How many passengers a diligence is intended to 
carry, is not easy to ascertain ; for what with its 
three apartments within, its piles of luggage on the 
top, the number of persons who scramble up to a 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



5 



receptacle in front of the roof, and the additional 
number who insist upon having taken their places, 
and have to be pulled out by main force to make 
room for others, a French diligence might be 
supposed by a stranger, to be transporting the in- 
habitants of a whole village. And then the shout- 
ing, whooping, cracking, and coaxing, with which 
the whole affair is kept going ! 

The variety of trappings which compose the har- 
ness of French horses, would scarcely be expected, 
from its appearance, to hold together for a single 
mile ; and the fact is, that something always does 
give way about every ten minutes. Such accidents, 
however, unless more than commonly serious, occa- 
sion no delay ; for the driver hangs his reins upon 
a hook on the dicky, descends like a monkey, and 
then runs sideways as fast as the horses can go, 
adjusting the broken harness all the time. The 
great beauty of the whole affair is, that the horses 
go just as well when he is not driving, as when he 
is ; nor does the breaking of. a trace or two seem 
to make the least difference in the movement of 
the vehicle. 

After all, we must not be too ready to smile at a 
French diligence, when it possesses two points of 
excellence, which some of our public conveyances 
of far higher pretensions, w r ould be much improved 



6 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



by adopting. In the first place it is extremely easy; 
and in the next, it is so constructed that the driver 
or conducteur can lock the hind wheel without 
descending from his seat, which, in a hilly country, 
or in a case of danger, is an amazing advantage. 

The first night we spent in the Malle Poste, was 
certainly the most comfortable I ever experienced 
in travelling. On looking out the following morn- 
ing at early dawn, we found that a wide river was 
rolling its cold blue waters beside us. It was the 
Loire, on whose banks we travelled for many miles, 
our road being a straight, and apparently intermi- 
nable line of mud, with rows of tall poplars on 
each side, and the low country all around us under 
water; so that it was sometimes difficult to say 
which was the exact course of the river. 

Very little variety of scene presents itself in this 
route in the winter ; for even the washerwomen, 
who at first look so strange and so picturesque, are 
so numerous and frequent, that you soon learn to 
look at them, as you do at the straight roads and 
poplars, only as necessary parts of the scene. I 
had been accustomed to think that English artists, 
in drawing continental scenery, put in the washer- 
women and the linen by way of effect. But of 
such frequency and importance is this process, 
carried on in the open air, that amongst the first 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



objects which attracted my attention on the banks 
of the Loire, were ranges of rafts and rudely con- 
structed vessels, appropriated exclusively to the 
washerwomen ; while long lines by the sides of the 
water displayed the clean white linen, sometimes 
hanging in terraces one above another up the sides 
of the hills. 

Throughout the whole of our journey, we had 
looked in vain for what we should call in England 
the houses of the gentry. Chateaux, ancient and 
modern, w<ere here and there to be seen, but not 
those neat and comfortable dwellings of a somewhat 
lower grade, which grace the whole of our native 
isle. Indeed the French have no idea of the coun- 
tenance of a house, or that a good front door, and 
respectable entrance, give as much character to the 
appearance of a house, as a nose and mouth to 
that of a human face. Thus you see in a French 
house an excellent roof and plenty of windows, the 
middle row particularly good, w 7 hile the doors are 
like barn doors, and the filth and forlornness of the 
way up to them beyond all description. Cow 
houses, and stables in England, are approached 
more agreeably ; and all this is found where the 
furniture of the first floor consists of marble and 
wood of the finest polish, and curtains arranged 
with the nicest regard to elegance and taste. 



8 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Among the ancient and often dilapidated cha- 
teaux, whose gloomy looking towers appeared to us 
to frown on the neighbouring country, the Castle 
of Blois, so rich in historical associations, is alto- 
gether one of the most grand and imposing I 
remember to have ever beheld. The city of Blois 
occupies a commanding situation on the slope of a 
hill, extending down to the banks of the Loire, 
which is crossed by a handsome bridge ; but it is 
the princely castle which claims more particularly 
the attention of the traveller, and which we espe- 
cially regretted not having time to visit. 

Before reaching Tours, which is the next place of 
importance in this route, a curious scene presents 
itself. On the opposite side of the Loire, is an 
extensive line of rugged limestone rock, not only 
clothed with vines trained about in every possible 
variety, but actually hollowed out into human 
dwellings, for apparently a very considerable popu- 
lation; so that you see doors, and windows, bal- 
conies, and those innumerable staircases that wind 
up the outside of almost all the old houses in 
France, mingled with the light drapery of the vines, 
which even as we saw them, without their garniture 
of leaves, looked picturesque, and almost beautiful. 

Attracted as all travellers must be, bv the fine 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



9 



old Cathedral of Tours, and by the noble bridge 
which spans the river, we would gladly have stayed 
here to make further observations upon both— to say 
nothing of the desirableness of a breakfast, after 
twelve hours' travelling, an idea by no means un- 
likely to occur to an English traveller. No such 
indulgence, however, was allowed us. The letters 
were handed out, and away we drove again, truly 
rejoiced to think that we were not wholly unpro- 
vided. Nor was it until seven in the evening that 
we were permitted to descend from our vehicle, for 
half an hour, to dine at a miserable looking inn, 
where, in a little room scarcely large enough for a 
table, we had the usual profusion of dishes, followed 
by an excellent dessert. 

We had been told that we should reach Bordeaux 
about six the following morning ; but such was the 
state of the roads, that when the light of day again 
dawned, we were far from the end of our journey ; 
and what made us less reconciled to our situation, 
it was Sunday. Rain was still falling heavily, and 
the atmosphere having become milder as we ad- 
vanced southward, we seemed to be travelling 
through a region of steam ; while the country 
people, regardless of the heavy rains, were as 
busy and as brisk as ever. Notwithstanding the 
b3 



10 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Sabbath too, they were buying and selling, and in 
some places even working in the fields, the same 
as on other days. 

It was here, I think, we felt most forcibly that 
we were far from England, and widely separated 
from those sacred privileges which a Sabbath in 
our native land affords. Instead of " the sound of 
the church-going bell/' and the country people 
walking quietly in family groups to the place of 
worship, the father with his youngest child, 
and the mother with her Bible in her hand, 
all serious, orderly, and respectable, here in every 
village through which we passed, there was held a 
sort of market ; while the falling rain, the dirt of 
the roads, and above all the indescribable filth of 
the doorways, gave an aspect of disorder and dis- 
comfort to the whole country. Well might we 
exclaim, " Is this the laughing France which tra- 
vellers have painted in such glowing colours ? " 

It was early on the second day of our journey 
that we crossed the Dordogne, a broad river, over 
which a beautiful suspension bridge has just been 
erected ; ^vhich, for want of more solid foundation, 
is said to be already giving way. The road over 
the bridge not then being opened, we were driven 
at great speed through a little dirty village on the 
banks of the river; and the masons employed 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



11 



about the new works, having nearly blocked up the 
way with masses of stone and timber, we had to 
tack about amongst the deep mire, avoiding with 
some difficulty the cottage walls, notwithstanding 
the heaps of rubbish which generally form a sort 
of embankment at every door. Yet on we went, 
without ever stopping, slashing and clattering, 
with the usual whoop and jingle, down a steep 
narrow way, directly on board the ferry boat 
which was to convey us across the river ; and here 
the opportunity w r as deemed eligible for changing 
horses, after which process we were left, with the 
new set, standing close to the edge of the boat ; so 
that a single unruly movement would have plunged 
them and us into the water. 

The road from this place to Bordeaux appeared 
to us most dreary; but the rain having now 
softened into a warm steamy haze, we could not 
for some hours see many yards before us. The 
weather began to clear, however, before noon, 
when the road turning suddenly round the side 
of a hill, we saw before us the noble city of 
Bordeaux, with the no less noble Garonne, bearing 
on its bosom the merchandise of many lands. It 
was a splendid sight, and repaid us for much of 
the discomfort of our journey. 

Seldom have travellers arrived at a resting place 



12 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



more weary and forlorn than we were at Bordeaux ; 
but, soon located at a comfortable hotel, we were 
in a condition to enjoy the full benefit of cold 
water and excellent coffee, as well as to appreciate 
the kind services of one of those pretty French 
women, who wait upon you with a sort of intuitive 
notion of all your wants. 

But for the tact of the French, and their general 
disposition to oblige, it would be impossible for 
the numbers of English who know nothing, or 
next to nothing of the language, to penetrate as 
they do into every part of this country. The 
language of Babel could not exceed, nor can 
imagination conceive anything to equal the jargon 
of utterance to which the French will not only 
listen without a smile, but with the kindest wish to 
attach some possible meaning to the sounds con- 
veyed; but no sooner does the idea strike them, 
than they finish the sentence for the stammering 
stranger, and act upon it before he has had time 
to blush. It is, perhaps, unnecessary to say, that 
not only the totally ignorant, but many who con- 
sider themselves pretty well fortified by an English 
education against the difficulties of travelling 
abroad, are often placed in this situation; for it 
is not merely an acquaintance with French litera- 
ture, that will be found necessary in arranging the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



13 



business of hotels and public conveyances. Far 
more valuable to the traveller would be the fami- 
liar use of the names of domestic utensils, and the 
usual mode of reckoning money, with the general 
phraseology of inns and waiters. I must not, 
however, undervalue a previous knowledge of the 
general construction of the language. 

One of our first objects on arriving at Bordeaux, 
was to send off some of our letters of introduction, 
which were soon followed by a visit from an excel- 
lent Swiss gentleman, whose residence is at a little 
distance, but who spends the Sunday with his 
family in the city, for the advantage of attending 
Protestant worship. After cheerfully undertaking 
for us every act of kindness which such entire 
strangers could require, he left us under an en- 
gagement to join his family and a few French and 
English protestants, at his house in the evening, 
where a religious service is regularly held. 

On our way to the house of this gentleman, we 
had to cross a large public square, or place, con- 
taining about five acres of ground, surrounded by 
avenues of acacias already budding, as they do 
with us in the months of April or May. On this 
place were assembled groups of people apparently 
from all countries, and clothed in as many varieties 
of costume. But the climate — the atmosphere ! — 



14 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



what words can describe the almost magical change 
to us from that of England! It seemed as if 
storm and tempest never had been there. The 
most bland and silent summer's evening in our 
country about the hour of nine, is not so soft and 
balmy ; besides all which, the sunset glow of the 
warm south gave to the whole scene a brilliancy 
of effect beyond what can be imagined in our 
northern clime. 

Before us the broad river was sleeping, blue and 
clear, without a ripple or a wave, crowded on both 
sides with shipping from all the countries of 
Europe, the dark sides and white masts of the 
vessels reflected in the clear deep water; while 
every sail and oar remained as motionless as death. 
Far away, to the left, stretched the noble quay, 
curving with the line of the river, and forming an 
unbroken crescent more than three miles in extent, 
composed of irregular but handsome buildings, 
diversified by many beautiful towers and spires 
which rose behind; and all constructed of that 
yellow kind of stone which gives to architecture 
the richest tints of colouring, when mixed with the 
venerable grey of hoary time. 

No wonder that this spacious promenade should 
be thronged with loitering visitors, when it offers 
such a view. It is true the people who sauntered 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



15 



there were idle, but they were not disorderly; and 
the attractive costume of the women, particularly 
their Jiead-dresses, and their clear, soft, and 
glowing complexions, made them all look lovely 
to strangers suddenly transported, as we were, 
from the cold and drizzle of an English winter, 
to this region of beauty and balm, where it was a 
perfect luxury to stand still, and breathe the soft 
evening air, without a shudder or a chill. 

The common people of France, throughout the 
whole of our jpurney, had appeared to us remark- 
ably good looking. Their long and well-formed 
noses, dark eyes and hair, neat mouths, white 
teeth, and more than all their complexions, not fair, 
but rich, like the fresh bloom of a peach, — neither 
red nor yellow, but just such a mixture of both 
as can only be described by a perfect glow; yet 
all the while so delicate, as the sunset tints of the 
western sky, though rich in colouring, are delicate 
in the extreme. I have seen hundreds of country- 
men in France, whose portraits would have graced 
a picture gallery; and perhaps an equal number 
of women, any of whom a painter would have 
been glad to place on a balcony open to the 
setting sun, and wreathe about with roses. But 
a really interesting face, such a face as carries 
the imagination home with it — a face to remember. 



16 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and to wish to meet again after many days ; — such 
a face I have seldom found in France. They are 
pictures all ; and whether young or old, the people 
wear such dresses, and place themselves in such 
positions, that one longs perpetually to transmit 
them to canvass. 

It was a beautiful sight, for example, to see the 
women by the side of the road we travelled, 
tending their little flocks of sheep, with their knit- 
ting in their hands, or more frequently spinning 
with the old-fashioned distaff; often seated on a 
bank, with two or three brown goats beside them, 
and a large shepherd's dog sleeping at their feet. 

I have said that the head-dresses of the French 
women are becoming, yet doubt whether an ex- 
ception must not be made of the caps worn by the 
old and middle-aged women in Bordeaux and 
the neighbourhood, which are of such enormous 
dimensions as almost to baffle description, and 
defy belief. One would think it impossible to 
maintain such a fabric of stiff muslin in wet wea- 
ther, but that in France neither men nor women 
are ever separated from their umbrellas, especially 
in the south, where they are used to keep off the 
sun as well as the rain, and are often of a bright 
red colour. The narrow streets of Paris, seen as 
I first beheld them, in heavy rain, gave me the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



17 



idea of rivers of umbrellas ; and I was afterwards 
amused to see the peasants of the south using 
these inseparable accompaniments on horseback. 
Even the men who break stones by the roadside 
have their umbrellas, which I have no doubt they 
would hold in one hand, while they used the ham- 
mer with the other, but that they all have screens, 
made of straw worked into a wooden frame., which 
they set up to shelter them from the wind and rain. 

Besides the complexions of the people above 
described, every person, every object in Bordeaux 
seemed to wear a colouring entirely new to me ; 
for the effect produced by a southern climate upon 
the aspect of nature, is such as no art can imitate, 
no pen describe. In short, it must be seen and 
felt, to be really understood. I am aware, that 
much of the vividness of an impression is some- 
times owing to its being the first of the kind 
received ; yet I believe all travellers agree that 
Bordeaux is one of the most splendid cities in the 
world ; its public buildings many of them un- 
rivalled; while the busy, cheerful aspect of its 
numerous population, is one that never tires. 

The Garonne at Bordeaux is between six and 
seven hundred yards in breadth ; and the bridge 
of seventeen arches, by which it is crossed, is one 
hundred and nine feet longer than Waterloo 



18 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Bridge. The construction of this bridge is sin- 
gular : it has not only an aqueduct by which water 
is conveyed into the city, but a sort of interior 
passage, or covered way, by which one may pass 
along over the arches, the whole length of the 
bridge. 

Novel and interesting as the whole scene pre- 
sented by the river, the quay, the bridge, and the 
spacious promenade was to us, we were not reluc- 
tant to repair to the house of the kind Swiss 
gentleman, at the appointed hour. Here we found 
a congregation of about forty or fifty persons as- 
sembled, who had already commenced the evening 
service by singing some of the sweetest hymns I 
ever heard. The lady who took the lead in the 
music was a daughter of Dr. Malan, of Geneva, with 
the same intelligent countenance, and marked by a 
strong resemblance to her father. Her husband, who 
was son to the gentleman of the house, delivered a 
short but impressive address ; and the meeting then 
closed with prayer and another hymn : after which 
the party separated, and we returned to our hotel, 
well pleased to have found a little community of 
kindred minds, so distant from our native land. 

We had, on the following day, great pleasure in 
visiting a depository of the Holy Scriptures in this 
place. The situation is in one of the most public 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



19 



and frequented parts of the city, and the depository 
well supplied with Bibles and Testaments in nearly 
all the European languages ; but especially in 
those most likely to be useful here. The excel- 
lent agent of the Paris Bible Society, who has the 
care of this depository, informed us that the circu- 
lation of the Scriptures was not publicly prohibited 
by the priests ; and that at one time frequent 
applications for copies had been made. 

It is unquestionably the part of wisdom, in cases 
where conscience is not concerned, to follow the 
popular maxims, and conform to the habits of the 
people amongst whom you live. I had heard that 
in France it was customary to have but two meals 
in the day, but doubted the possibility of regu- 
lating my notions of comfort by this rule. On 
farther observation, however, I found it not so 
difficult as I had at first supposed ; and the public 
breakfast table at our hotel at Bordeaux afforded 
me a view of this case, by no means discouraging. 

While we thought ourselves faring substantially 
on mutton chops and coffee, a comfortable old 
gentleman, who sat near us, regaled himself first 
with a plate full of oysters, and what the French 
always breakfast with, — plentiful libations of wine. 
He then had another plate full of sausages, another 
of mutton chops, and a large bowl of coffee, with 



20 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



bread in proportion, which in France is three 
times the quantity we eat in England. After such 
a breakfast, and a dinner to correspond, I had no 
difficulty in understanding how it would be possible 
to be satisfied with two meals a day. 

On descending to the table d'hote at five o'clock 
in the same room, I felt all the unpleasantness of 
being the only lady amongst fifteen or twenty of 
the nobler sex. Nor was my native shyness at all 
abated, by finding myself seated beside the finest 
man I ever saw, all rings and ruffles, brooches and 
beard. The dinner as usuaL consisted of a vast 
variety of dishes, many of them altogether new to 
me, amongst which our friend of the breakfast table 
played as active a part as any of the company. If 
the scene altogether had felt strange to me at first, 
it was no less so in its conclusion ; for the dinner 
being ended, many of the gentlemen filled their 
mouths with water, and after rinsing them 
thoroughly, made use of their plates instead of 
finger-glasses; after which a glass full of tooth- 
picks being handed round, we all rose at our 
pleasure, and left the table. 

If on this, as well as many other occasions, my 
English prejudices were startled by the perfect 
ease, perhaps I might say, the want of nicety, in 
the manners of the French, I must, on the other 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



21 



hand, observe that their habits in some respects 
are such as might put ours to shame. Nothing, 
for instance, can exceed the whiteness and cleanli- 
ness of the whole of their table service, the assi- 
duity with which their plates are changed almost 
every instant, and the quantity of clean linen and 
napkins with which not only their tables, but their 
bedrooms are supplied. 

As the diligence for Pau did not leave Bordeaux 
until Tuesday evening, we had an opportunity of 
seeing more of this magnificent city, about whose 
splendid streets and squares we walked until 
thoroughly wearied; for the general interest cf 
the scene, increased by its being the resort of so 
many foreigners, was such as to lead us on, from 
hour to hour, and from place to place, without our 
being aware of the lapse of time, or the distance 
we had walked. 

At six in the evening of the last day of the year, 
we left Bordeaux, and again were so fortunate as 
to have that part of the conveyance which we oc- 
cupied entirely to ourselves. The last few days 
had been so bland and warm, that we were little 
prepared for a sharp frost, which then set in ; and 
having put away a quantity oi spare clothing, I 
was too cold to sleep ; a circumstance not much to 
be regretted, as my wakefulness enabled me to 



22 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



witness, what I might otherwise have missed,, the 
first dawn of morning in the wide, uncultivated 
Landes, a district of country thinly inhabited, and 
stretching to a vast extent, southward of Bordeaux. 

In wintry weather, the aspect of this part of the 
country must be one of dreariness beyond descrip- 
tion, and many are the stories told of travellers who 
have been lost or bewildered amongst the forests of 
this apparently interminable waste. To us, how- 
ever, the impression was one of a different nature, 
and the roads being at that time excellent, we 
were at liberty both to admire and enjoy our novel 
situation. By the first light of morning we dis- 
covered that we were in the midst of an immense 
pine forest, interspersed with venerable oaks. No 
human dwelling was to be seen, nor trace of man, 
except that here and there a solitary woodcutter 
was lighting his fire in the wilderness, while a 
cloud of white smoke could just be seen curling up 
amongst the trees. As the light increased, we 
could distinguish, from the higher ground, leagues 
beyond leagues of these dark pine thickets, with 
valleys of white mist between them ; and in many 
places, breaking the monotony of the scene, wide 
tracts of heath and fern, which looked like purple 
and silver in the sunshine and hoar frost. 

But the wonders of this scene were not fully 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



23 



revealed until we had looked for some time to the 
south, where the horizon was terminated by a long 
line of blue, which, from its broken and irregular 
outline, I at first imagined to be a ridge of clouds. 
At length, how T ever, we found, as the morning ad^ 
vanced, that it was the noble range of the Pyrenees, 
the first really mountain-range I had ever beheld. 
Not like our English hills, resembling in the dis- 
tance a drove of giant cattle, each endeavouring to 
raise its back higher than the rest ; but so varied 
in the colouring, and at the same time so rugged 
and massive, as to convey the idea of their having 
been the waves of a chaotic world, suddenly ar- 
rested in their foam and fury, and fixed for ever, 
a spectacle to wondering ages. 

Had our journey been through a mountainous, 
or even a hilly country, this magnificent spectacle 
might possibly have been less striking; but we 
were well prepared, by the many leagues of level 
ground we had passed, the long straight roads, the 
interminable avenues of poplars, and the low 
marshes covered with winter floods, to gaze with 
feelings of admiration and delight upon the 
splendid scene before us. The Pyrenees too differ 
from most other mountains, in rising almost imme- 
diately from a plain not much above the level of 
the sea : thus their real height suffers no apparent 



24 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



diminution by their being based upon elevated 
ground, or by rising in the midst of inferior moun- 
tains. As an object of grandeur and sublimity 
they stand alone ; and from their situation, as well 
as from their height, appear to belong to the purer 
atmosphere of another world, — a barrier between 
earth and heaven, — a pathway through the skies, 
which at that far distance it might well be deemed 
presumption for any human foot to tread. 

Absorbed as we were for some time in the con- 
templation of this scene, our attention, as the day 
advanced, was attracted by objects of a different, 
though scarcely less interesting character. The 
peasants of the country, whom we met, already 
wore the look of Spain ; the brown flat cap, per- 
haps more resembling the Scottish bonnet, and 
cloaks of the same colour thrown gracefully over 
one shoulder. The little oxen, too, so peculiar to 
this part of France, of one uniform, fawn colour, 
approaching to buff, and perfect in their sym- 
metry, we saw here for the first time, drawing 
small carts of wicker-work, many of which have a 
light arched covering of thatch, which is easily 
taken off in fine weather. The oxen are always 
yoked in pairs, exactly of the same size, their 
heads being fastened by the horns to a kind of 
frame or yoke, by which they are held together, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



25 



and by which also they draw their burdens, having 
no other harness or fastening. If one, therefore, 
puts his head to the ground, the other must do the 
same, or be content, as I have sometimes seen 
them, to have his nose jerked up in the air. 

Whatever the treatment of the horses may be in 
this part of France, that of the oxen is most careful 
and kind ; as a proof of w r hich, they are always in 
good condition, and almost universally, when em- 
ployed in labour, are covered with neat white 
sheets. In addition to this covering of white linen 
sheet, they usually have a sort of rug, of sheep 
or dog's skin, laid across their heads, though 
whether for use or ornament I have not been 
able to discover. The manner of conducting a 
team of oxen is rather curious, for the driver, as 
w T e should call him, always walks before, carrying 
in his hand, and often extending over his shoulder, 
a long straight stick, with a small goad at the end ; 
this stick he holds out, between the heads of the 
cattle, in a somewhat graceful manner, and by a 
slight application of the goad, indicates the direc- 
tion he wishes them to take. The animals them- 
selves are extremely docile and gentle, which may 
be owing to their being yoked together in the same 
manner while only calves, in which state they 
are brought to market. Still there must be some- 
c 



26 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



thing in their nature, as well as in their education, 
different from ours, as they are never heard to 
bellow or low. Whether in the fields, the markets, 
or yoked to their little carts, they are peaceful, 
tractable, and perfectly silent. These oxen, which 
are much more frequently used in field labour 
than horses, constitute a great portion of the wealth 
of the peasants, being valued at from 300 to 400 
francs each. 

The day which had dawned so brightly upon us 
in the Landes, was the first of the year, and every 
peasant we met, whether man or woman, was 
carrying poultry, eggs, or some other produce of 
their little farms, to the nearest market town ; nor 
were we sorry to find that we ourselves were ap- 
proaching the ancient looking town of Mont-de- 
Marsan ; for strange and interesting as the aspect 
of the Landes may be at first, its monotony soon 
wearies, while its very loneliness creates a longing 
for more social and familiar scenes. At Mont-de- 
Marsan, where we stopped to breakfast, a vast con- 
course of busy-looking country people had assembled 
to dispose of their goods, which consisted chiefly of 
pigs, poultry, and coarse earthenware. 

Having found the women so beautiful at Bor- 
deaux, I had formed the idea t ! /.at in advancing 
southward, especially towards the borders of Spain, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



27 



they would be more and more attractive; what 
then was my surprise, to find the market of Mont- 
de-Marsan crow r ded with women, the exact oppo- 
site of what my imagination had pictured, — old 
and young, without exception, sallow, coarse, and 
vulgar. Much of this, however, 1 might be attri- 
butable to their peculiar costume, for in the south 
of France, a few leagues, or a single mountain, 
will often make a wide difference in the dress and 
habits of the people. At this place, all the women 
wore their thick black hair tied down upon their 
foreheads, almost as low as the eyebrows, and then 
turned back over the string, and combed down 
short and straight into the neck behind. Sur- 
mounting this heavy mass, was a low thick cap, of 
coarse white linen, sufficient of itself to extinguish 
the beauty of a Hebe. 

From Mont-de-Marsan to Aire, the road runs 
through a perfectly flat, but cultivated country. 
Here the effects of a totally different climate from 
our own, were visible in the dust, which the men 
who have the care of the public roads were scraping 
into heaps by the sides. Even had this not been 
the case, we had sufficient evidence in the clearness 
of the atmosphere, and the brightness of the sun- 
shine, which blazed into our carriage so as to com- 
pel us to let down the blinds. All this was the 
c2 



28 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



more striking to us, the more magical in its effect 
upon our feelings, in consequence of the dreary 
autumn we had spent in London, as well as from 
the fact of the whole of our journey from that place 
to Bordeaux having been performed without one 
gleam of sunshine. 

The town of Aire is situated on the river Adour, 
which winds its way to Bayonne, after receiving 
the waters of many tributary streams from the 
Pyrenees. We little thought at that time, how in- 
timate would become our acquaintance with this 
river, in some of its earlier and more irregular 
wanderings. 

On leaving Aire, we ascended a long steep hill, 
and after passing to our left an old college, which 
appears to be a place of some importance, we 
gained the high ground, where, a little to our right, 
on the 2nd of March, 1814, four days after the 
battle of Orthez, a part of Marshal Soult's army, 
under General Clauzel, were attacked by the 
British, under General Hill, and after an obstinate 
combat, which lasted until nightfall, were driven 
back, through the town of Aire, and compelled to 
leave their magazines in the hands of the victors. 

From this height we had again before us the 
glorious spectacle of the whole range of the Pyre- 
nees, now so much nearer, that we could see they 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



29 



were sheeted in the purest snow. The sky was 
without a cloud, and the air so fresh and balmy, 
that it was a luxury to recline even in a French 
diligence, and feel that we were advancing nearer 
to a region of such beauty and grandeur. There 
are feelings which no words can express, and ours 
were certainly of this order ; when, as the day de- 
clined, we gazed upon the sky, and watched the 
different tints of purple and gold literally burning 
and red ; until, as the deepening shades of even- 
ing fell around us, we could see nothing but this 
blaze of light beyond the outline of the mountains, 
stretching far away to the west. 

Having left home too hastily to obtain any par- 
ticular information respecting the place at which 
our journey for the winter was to terminate, we 
had strangely made up our minds to expect that 
Pau was a little, irregular, dirty town, like many 
of those we had seen in our journey through France; 
it was therefore with little interest that we found 
our carriage clattering, with the usual shout, and 
slash, and jingle, down a steep descent, into the 
middle of the town, where we soon found our- 
selves, for the first time after leaving England, 
situated in a dirty hotel. For the first time on our 
journey too, we had no carpet in our bed-room, 
though in other respects it was ornamented in the 



30 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



usual style, with marble tables, handsome furniture, 
and excellent beds ; and the people of the house 
being extremely kind and attentive, we had little 
to complain of. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



31 



CHAPTER II. 

GENERAL APPEARANCE OF PAU — - VISITORS PUBLIC 

PROMENADES — CLIMATE — GENERAL APPEARANCE OF 

THE SCENERY — ASPECT OF THE TOWN ANCIENT 

CHATEAU OF HENRY IV. 

On the morning after our arrival at Pau, we 
were surprised, on first looking out, to behold a 
wide, handsome square, with regular buildings on 
each side, noble avenues in the distance, and, as the 
day advanced, a tide of respectable and fashionable- 
looking English people, setting in towards a certain 
point, which looked extremely inviting. The same 
bright sunshine still blazed upon the scene, and 
there were ladies in light dresses, with their para- 
sols, without which it is scarcely possible to look 
steadily at any object when the sun is shining 
here ; while others rode forth in happy looking 
parties, with their hats and habits, just as in Hyde 
Park, only somewhat differently mounted. Nor 
was there wanting the usual proportion of dandies, 
still evidently English, notwithstanding all the 
pains they had taken to look French. And here, 
if I might presume to venture a remark upon this 



32 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



class of my countrymen, it would be to observe 
upon the futility, as well as the bad taste, of all 
such endeavours. The English countenance, if 
not good in itself, can never be made so by the 
garniture which the military habits of Frenchmen 
may have rendered more appropriate to them; and 
amongst the many anomalies which arrest the at- 
tention of the traveller abroad, it is by no means 
the least, to meet the light complexion, fair hair, 
rosy cheeks, and long upper lip, of a native Briton, 
under a disguise which only serves to render his 
identity more striking. 

Impatient to become acquainted with a place 
where we expected to spend some months, I took 
the earliest opportunity of quitting the hotel, and 
following the tide I had observed, soon found 
myself at the entrance of a spacious and noble 
avenue of trees, leading to a promenade, which is 
justly celebrated as being one of the most beautiful 
in the world. It is called the Pare, and consists 
of a range of high ground, running from east to 
west, parallel with the river Gave ; thickly covered 
with magnificent trees, chiefly beech, and laid out 
in walks of every variety, some straight, and others 
serpentine ; some leading along the highest ridges, 
and commanding the most extensive view, while 
others wind along the foot of the eminence, be- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



33 



neath the shadow of the loftier trees ; and others, 
still narrower and more intricate, are nearly lost 
amongst thicker foliage and closer underwood; 
as if to suit the different tastes and dispositions 
of the many strangers from distant lands, who 
meet here to enjoy the luxury of this delicious 
climate. 

And a motley concourse they are : invalids of 
every stage, from mere delicacy down to hopeless 
disease, are seen basking in the sunshine, or lean- 
ing on the arms that would be stretched forth, if it 
were possible, to snatch them from the grave. It 
is a melancholy, yet in some respects a cheering 
sight, to meet this class of our fellow-creatures in 
such a scene; melancholy, to contrast the symp- 
toms of waning life, exhibited in the human frame, 
with the glow, the richness, and the exuberance of 
the landscape smiling around ; melancholy, to see 
the solitary invalid pacing to and fro, as if he was en- 
deavouring to outstrip his mortal enemy, or chasing 
the phantom 6f health, which still eludes his grasp: 
and melancholy too, to see the fondly cherished 
females, the wives, the daughters, and the sisters, 
who come here, perhaps, to die. Yet, on the other 
hand, it is a spectacle which scarcely can be con- 
templated without feelings of gratitude and joy, 
to think that there is such an atmosphere, and such 
c3 



34 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



a scene, accessible to so many of the inhabitants of 
less genial climates ; and that the health and vigour, 
of which so many are in search, so often is restored 
to them, beneath these sunny skies. Nor are such 
feelings rendered less intense, but rather deepened 
in their interest, by a longer acquaintance with 
these favourite walks ; for if, on the one hand, we 
then behold the glow of health, the firm step, and 
the renovated frame, where we had been accus- 
tomed to the aspect of disease ; on the other, we 
see the sable weeds, or the solitary mourner, left 
to tell that all has been in vain. 

Amongst the many objects of novelty and in- 
terest which attract the attention of the visitor in 
Pau, we must not omit to mention the variety of 
characters and costumes by which the Pare is 
enlivened. Here are to be seen travellers from 
almost every country, but chiefly Spaniards, with 
their long dark cloaks, lined with red, and grace- 
fully thrown over one shoulder, Italians, Eng- 
lish, Scotch, and Irish, officers of different ranks, 
soldiers, Bearnais peasants, monks, and nurse- 
maids, with here and there a non-descript, to whom 
it is impossible to assign " a local habitation and a 
name." Amongst this class we were at first in- 
clined to place a very singular looking old gentle- 
man, who we afterwards learned was a Spanish 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



35 



bishop, compelled, from the nature of his political 
sentiments, to escape to the north of the Pyrenees. 
This individual, who certainly has something ma- 
jestic in his deportment, wore a pea-green hat, 
with low crown, and brim of enormous magnitude 
curled up on both sides, so that its real circum- 
ference can only be known by a profile view, while 
his figure is enveloped in a rich purple cloak, lined 
also with pea-green. 

At the foot of the woody range of high ground, 
forming the promenade above described, runs the 
broad shallow river Gave, with a perpetual low 
murmur that lulls the senses to repose. It is, in 
fact, the only sound we hear, for there is so little 
wind in this climate, that not a leaf is seen to move, 
and we therefore distinguish at a greater distance 
the toll of the matin and the vesper bell in the 
neighbouring villages, and the tinkling sounds 
which tell when the flocks are led to and from 
the fields. There appears, at first, a sort of mys- 
tery in this universal stillness. It seems like a 
pause in the breath of nature, a suspension of the 
general throb of life, and we almost feel as if it 
must be followed by that shout of joy, which the 
language of poetry has so often described, as the 
grateful response of nature for the blessings of light 
and life. And never, surely, could this response 



36 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



be offered more appropriately than from such a 
scene as this rich and fertile land presents. 

The river I have described is not broken into 
falls and eddies, as in its higher and more moun- 
tainous course ; but here it winds along a woody 
and well-cultivated valley, adorned in the spring 
with every variety of green, as the different 
kinds of grain begin to shoot above the ground. 
Villages and farm-houses are scattered along its 
banks, as far as the eye can reach, to the east and 
west ; while to the south, the valley is bounded, at 
a short distance, by a line of vine-covered hills, 
running parallel with the Pyrenees, and extending 
to the foot of the mountains. Amongst these vil- 
lages, Jurangon, situated immediately opposite the 
Pare, is at once the most picturesque and the most 
important, being justly celebrated for the richness 
of its wines. It stands at the entrance of one of 
the many beautiful valleys which open up amongst 
the mountains, and has a fine back-ground of 
oaks, and other lofty trees, which separate it from 
the hills immediately beyond. These hills are 
covered with vineyards, and clothed with the rich- 
est vegetation ; while many of their most command- 
ing heights, as well as many of the loveliest little 
dells by which they are intersected, are studded 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



37 



with gentlemen's seats, and adorned with orchards 
and gardens. 

Beyond these hills, at a distance of twenty or 
thirty miles, rise the majestic Pyrenees, the most 
eastern groups of which are only visible in certain 
states of the atmosphere, but, from their being 
almost always covered with snow, it is evident that 
they are of no inconsiderable height. The entire 
chain of the Pyrenees extends from the Mediter- 
ranean to the Atlantic ; and the length of the 
barrier, which it forms between France and Spain, 
is stated by Inglis to be nearly 270 miles; its 
greatest breadth, which is near the centre, 69, 
and its general range of elevation from 7000 to 
11,000 feet. 

Far surpassing, in the beauty and sublimity of its 
outline, all the other mountains of this range, as 
they appear from Pau, is the Pic du Midi de 
Bigorre, which, far to the eastward, stands out 
from the rest, in the most commanding situation, 
with a fine back-ground of rugged peaks and snowy 
pinnacles, running to the south-west, and connect- 
ing it with the general chain. This mountain is 
9721 feet in height, but from the circumstance of 
its rising almost immediately from a plain, it strikes 
the beholder as being more majestic and higher 



33 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



than it really is. Its summit is in the form of one 
corner of a triangle, and the descent on the north- 
ern side is so extensive and precipitous, that snow 
never rests upon it. It therefore seems to frown 
upon the world with a dark and inaccessible brow, 
though immediately beneath this descent, wide 
tracts of silvery snow are sleeping, which catch the 
sun-light, and seem to melt into every possible 
tint of aerial beauty. This mountain is chiefly 
visited, by travellers from Bagneres and Bareges, 
and is more frequently ascended than any other 
of the high Pyrenees, on account of the position 
it holds, as jutting out from the general range, 
and thus commanding a more extensive and unin- 
terrupted view to the north, north-east, and north- 
west. 

Next in importance to this mountain, from the 
peculiarity of its form and situation, is the Pic du 
Midi de Pau ; and perhaps no one of the range 
appears more striking, when beheld for the first time. 
It seems indeed, from its very singularity, to be 
separated from the general mass, the mountains on 
either side falling back to the right and the left, as 
if to leave it alone. From a mass of irregular and 
broken pinnacles, of no great elevation, it rises like 
a mighty cone, with a cloven summit, on one entire 
side too steep for the snows to rest. It is a re- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



39 



markable feature in this mountain, that it catches 
almost every passing cloud, so that, when higher 
ranges are perfectly clear, it is often wrapped in 
mist, and never looks more singular, or more sub- 
lime, than when the vapour forms a sort of belt 
around it, while its cloven crest is seen towering 
into the sky. But the most beautiful characteristic 
of this mountain, is the noble vista, through which 
it is seen from the Pare at Pau. First, a wide 
opening in the vine-clad hills, with Jurancjon im- 
mediately to the right; then other green and fertile 
hills, tufted with wood, and their outlines intersect- 
ing one another; then a more majestic range of 
hills of dark rock, and pine, too high for cultivation, 
and yet below the region of snow. Beyond these 
is seen for many miles, extending to the foot of the 
Pic, a misty valley, with purple rocks rising in bold 
dark promontories of precipitous descent on either 
side, and extending far up into distant heights of 
untrodden snow. This is the valley which leads to 
two of the favourite watering places, Eaux Chaudes 
and Eaux Bonnes ; it is called the valley d'Ossau, 
and the name has been explained to us by a native, 
as meaning " the valley where the bears come 
down." 

Perhaps one of the most imposing aspects under 
which the Pyrenees are seen from Pau, is when the 



40 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



state of the atmosphere, and the light is such, that 
we see in, as it were, amongst them, and are able 
to trace the different valleys by which they are di- 
vided, beginning with some of the lower hills which 
rise from the woody plain on the banks of the Gave, 
and following them up to their snowy summits, 
until lost in the distance, or intercepted by some 
other range. It is then that we are able to form 
some idea of the real extent and magnitude of these 
stupendous mountains ; the eye then wanders on, 
from one lofty pinnacle to another, tracing out the 
blue and silvery outline of the sublimest heights ; 
or, returning by some lower chain, it takes a down- 
ward course, and penetrates into those deep, mys- 
terious hollows, where the purple shadows fall 
obliquely, so that here and there a bold and broken 
rock stands forth and catches a sort of golden 
light. 

It is scarcely possible, however, where the sun- 
shine is so brilliant, and the atmosphere so clear as 
in the climate of the Pyrenees, to say under what 
aspect they are the most beautiful ; nor have we 
ever been able to decide whether they appear to 
the greatest advantage in the morning or the even- 
ing, for at mid-day there is, in the brightest weather, 
a sort of silvery haze which always renders them 
more or less obscure. Perhaps the appearance 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



41 



they present in the morning is the most brilliant ; 
but the evening is the time when associations are 
the strongest, and consequently there is more to 
think of, and to feel, if not actually more to admire, 
in connexion with their grandeur and beauty, at 
the close, than at the commencement of the day. 

This is the time we have usually chosen for 
walking in the Pare, and after the wonted concourse 
of visitors have retired, we have enjoyed more fully 
the gratification of feeling that we were alone with 
nature. The old chateau of Pau, which forms a 
conspicuous object from the eastern extremity of 
the Pare, with its irregular pile of ancient towers, 
is then tinted with the golden hues of the glowing 
west. The river, which as it wanders at the foot 
of this venerable edifice, is spanned by a massive 
and ancient bridge, is then seen winding its w r ay in 
the distance, like a silver thread ; while the moun- 
tains look more clear in the sunset — more imme- 
diately present to the scene ; and the line of vine- 
clad hills is painted against the evening sky, with 
that distinctness of outline, which renders visible 
every tree upon their summits, and one might 
almost fancy, every leaf. 

It is said, there is a certain latitude at which 
beautiful sunsets begin. We are I fancy south of 
this latitude at Pau ; at all events, I feel convinced 



J2 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



that nothing can exceed the beauty of the sunsets 
from this point of view; which, besides the mountain 
range, commands a vast extent of country towards 
Bayonne, along which the hills more immediately 
beneath the rays of the setting sun are tinged with 
all the glories of the sky, until, melting away in 
the distance into a faint blue line, they leave the 
fertile plain, with all its woods, and fields, and 
cottages, and with the many serpent-bendings 
of the Gave, between its tufted banks, to blend 
together into one vast lake of gold. 

It is true the colours of evening in this climate 
are more evanescent than with us ; but while they 
last, they are also much more varied and intense. 
Even the snow on the distant mountains, though 
it still retains its purity, partakes of the colour- 
ing of the scene, so that sometimes on looking up, 
you suddenly behold them wrapped in a mantle of 
pink, or lilac, changing to crimson — gold — and 
then the palest yellow, until one peak after another 
loses the parting radiance of the sun, and all are 
again clothed in that cold blue, and colder white, 
which has been well described by a distinguished 
traveller, as resembling the aspect of death, 
when the spirit has but just departed. Nor is it 
until night advances, that we lose the outline of 
these mountains ; even then, if the moon is shining, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



43 



and the sky is clear, you may at the same distance 
distinguish every peak, and trace out every valley, 
with the same exactness as before, though a more 
mysterious and aerial aspect is spread over the 
whole. 

Arriving, as did, at the leafless season of the 
year, we remained of course for some time ignorant 
of the summer beauty of the scenery in the neigh- 
bourhood of Pau. To us, however, there seemed 
nothing wanting, for the purity of the atmosphere, 
and the brilliance of the sunshine, tinged with 
beauty every object upon which the eye could rest. 
And it is this very distinctness, and vividness of 
colouring, w T hich sometimes leads me to question 
the boasted superiority of Swiss scenery over that 
of the Pyrenees. I know that the mountains are 
higher, and that the whole aspect of the country, 
so far as regards vastness and sublimity, bears no 
comparison with this ; but I am yet to be convinced, 
that in detail, and in beauty of colouring, the 
scenery of the Pyrenees is surpassed by that of any 
other country. 

It must not how r ever be supposed, that on the 
mountains alone, the stranger looks with interest, 
while tracing out the various promenades by which 
Pau is surrounded. The town itself, or more pro- 
perly the city, contains about 14,000 inhabitants, 



44 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and is not only respectable, but imposing, in its 
general appearance and situation, being built upon 
the same range of high ground as the Pare, with 
the river and its many tributary streams watering 
the plain immediately below. That side of the 
city which presents a southern aspect, and which is 
consequently parallel with the river, consists almost 
entirely of handsome houses, with their gardens, 
pleasure grounds, and green fields spotted with 
sheep and lambs, and fringed with weeping willows, 
sloping down to the sides of the water ; and between 
some of these fields, and one of the streams which 
hurry on to join the Gave, is an avenue of oaks, 
which form a shady and pleasant promenade. 

At the eastern extremity of the town is an old 
college, once a monastery, a massive and venerable 
pile of building, with the same high roofs of black 
slate which are seen upon every edifice of antiquity 
and importance in this part of France. About 
half way between this building and the west end of 
the town is another promenade, called the Place 
Royale, commanding a view to the southward, as 
fine, or finer, than that from the Pare ; and it is 
here we may at once discover the favourite resort 
of the French, because it is perfectly flat, with- 
out a blade of grass, shaded by trees in regular 
rows, surrounded on all sides but one by houses 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



43 



and shops ; but above all, because it is the place 
where you may meet with all the world ! for this 
last recommendation constitutes in reality the 
crowning point of excellence with every one in 
France. Whatever you are in search of, in the 
way of situation, either for comfort or for health, 
for sorrow or for sickness, their highest commenda- 
tion will be, that it places you in a position where 
all the world may either be seen, or heard, or come 
in contact with, in some way or another. 

At the southern extremity of this promenade, 
and situated on the slope which commands an 
extensive view of the mountains, are the baths, two 
regular and handsome buildings, flat at the top, 
and from their whole character and situation look- 
ing more Italian than French. Beyond these, to 
the west, are terraces and trees extending down to 
the river, on the banks of which, and connecting 
with the bridge, is another group of houses, appa- 
rently some of the oldest in the town, while above 
them, on the same ridge of high ground as the 
Place Royale and the Pare, and raised still higher 
by an artificial mound, stands the venerable chateau, 
the birth-place of Henry IV., with the church of 
St. Martin to the eastward, on the same line. 

The general aspect of this chateau, where the 
sovereigns of Navarre formerly held their court, is 



46 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



more venerable than picturesque, although the ad- 
vantages of its situation could not well be surpassed. 
It appears at first sight to be composed of a pile of 
irregular roofs and towers, facing different direc- 
tions, not at right angles, but rather standing out 
so as to command the most extensive view of the 
heights and valleys by which it is surrounded; 
all these towers are surmounted by those high 
black roofs, slightly curved inwards, which give a 
Moorish character to the whole. Like most ancient 
castles, it is constructed with a wide court-yard in 
the centre, from whence you look up to ranges of 
irregular windows, and carved masonry, all worn 
and grey, and sometimes even black with time. 
Yet even here, such is the redundant luxuriance of 
this fertile clime, that wild weeds are waving from 
the hoary heights, with the blossoms of thyme, and 
other flowers, leaves of the brightest green, and 
twigs and sprays of a thousand different plants 
shooting up from the old mortar, even before it 
crumbles from the walls. 

Immediately at the foot of the artificial mound 
upon which the chateau stands, there is a broad 
terrace, where French taste has planted a sort of 
garden, with regular rows of plane trees, as regularly 
despoiled of their branches each time they have 
arrived at a certain height ; and again below this 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



47 



terrace is the most ruinous, but at the same time 
the most interesting part of the chateau. It is 
now detached, but was once connected with it by 
an arched way over a little stream, which still 
works a water mill called the Mill of Jeanne 
d'Albret, the mother of Henry IV. This ancient 
and humble-looking building also boasts the honour 
of having formerly supplied the court with flour. 
The square tower above alluded to, which rises by 
the side of the stream, is now a mere shell, the 
roof and interior being almost entirely ruinous ; 
while from the massiveness of the outer walls, it 
appears capable of resisting all further attacks of 
time. Of the roof, which reached to a level with 
the terrace above, but little remains, and the deep 
cornice of heavy masonry by which it was sur- 
rounded, is now clothed with the richest drapery 
of fern and ivy, intermingled with plants of a 
more delicate and fragile nature, weaving altogether 
a garland of beauty and of life, which seems to 
mock the " hoar austerity " of the grey ruin 
beneath. 

Whether this tower was originally built for any 
other purpose than to protect the entrance to the 
chateau from the bridge, near which it stands, and 
still nearer to the ruins of a bridge of earlier date, 
or whether its lower apartments were appropriated 



48 SUMMER AND WINTER 

to the purpose of a dungeon, it is not easy at the 
present day to ascertain ; but history of a later date 
is clear, that it was at one time used as a mint ; and 
what adds still greater interest to its present cha- 
racter is, that when the seeds of the Reformation 
were beginning to take root in this part of France, 
it was in one of the chambers of this building, that 
Calvin preached to a little faithful band of his 
friends and followers, amongst whom the most 
distinguished was Marguerite of Valois, sister of 
Francis L, and then Queen of Navarre. 

In addition to the sacred cause thus fostered 
under the protection of her court, there is much 
in the character of Marguerite to hallow the re- 
membrance of scenes with which she was so inti- 
mately associated, much in the tenderness of her 
devoted affection, much in her high intellectual 
attainments, but more in the depth and sincerity of 
her religious faith, which supported her to the last, 
when all else had failed. It is not the least touch- 
ing feature amongst the many beauties with which 
her character is adorned, that she possessed so 
strong a hold upon the heart of her brother, the king 
of France, who, in the playfulness of his affection, 
used to call her his " Marguerite of Marguerites," 
or daisy of daisies. And well did she repay this 
tenderness, by her heroic flight to the court of 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



49 



Madrid, when he was a prisoner there after the 
battle of Pavia, by her patient watch at the side 
of his sick bed, where she read the scriptures to 
him until his heart was almost convinced, and by 
her earnest intercessions for him with the cold- 
hearted monarch, whose captive he then was, and 
with whom she pleaded so fearlessly, as to be 
obliged to fly from his kingdom for her life, accom- 
plishing the journey from Madrid to the frontier 
with a speed almost incredible for a delicate female. 
Nor were the accomplishments of her mind and 
manners much inferior to the high qualities of 
her heart. Adorned with the title of the " fourth 
grace, and the tenth muse/' she presided over her 
little court at Angouleme, where our unfortunate 
Anne Bolleyn bloomed amongst her maids of 
honour ; and while residing in the chateau of Pau, 
her love of literature, and patronage of the fine 
arts, drew around her the society of men of letters, 
and distinguished artists, from her own and other 
lands. A deeper bond of sympathy, however, 
appears to have existed between Marguerite of 
Valois and some of the most eminent of the early 
reformers, amongst whom may be added to the 
name of Calvin already mentioned, those of Erasmus, 
Roussel, Lefevre d'Etaples, Marot, Caroli, Dolet, 
and many others. 

D 



SUMMER 



AND WINTER 



CHAPTER III. 

SETTLEMENT AT PAU LODGINGS DOMESTIC COM- 
FORT SERVANTS — GENERAL EXPENSE OF LIVING — 

APPEARANCE OF THE PEOPLE HORSES — WOMEN — 

COSTUMES MARKETS — PRICE OF PROVISIONS. 

Our first business on arriving in Pau being to 
secure lodgings until the season should be so far 
advanced as to allow us to proceed nearer to the 
mountains, we gladly took advantage of the kind- 
ness of a friend, to conduct us to some of the most 
eligible that were still at liberty. The situation we 
chose was by no means unexceptionable ; yet such 
was the number of strangers, especially English, 
who had fixed their residence at Pau for the winter, 
that our friends thought us fortunate in the home 
we had secured. 

Impressed as we had been, and as English people 
generally are, with an idea of the cheapness of 
living abroad, we were not a little surprised to find 
that we must pay in most instances as much for the 
necessaries of life, as in our own country ; and that 
for every article we purchased in the shops, or the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



51 



market, we must give at least twice as much as it 
was worth, and much more than the owner expected 
finally to take, unless indeed we chose the other 
alternative of bargaining and disputing for half an 
hour on every article we bought. 

Our lodging — thanks to an English clergyman 
who had preceded us — was supplied with a carpet; 
but our sleeping room had only the usual bed-side 
fragment, which is all that must be expected here. 
The floors, both of the bed-rooms and the salons, 
are however preserved from the cold, comfortless 
aspect which bare boards would otherwise present, 
by a custom which prevails of first staining them 
red, and then, after a coating of wax, brushing them 
until they become brown and bright. With regard 
to their cleanliness, it is not necessary to say more 
than that they are never washed. 

It was in our search for lodgings, that we 
were most struck with the difference between 
French and English houses, in the extreme dis- 
order and discomfort of the doors and passages by 
which the former are approached. It is. such in 
fact, that no one who can help it, thinks of living 
on the ground floor; such apartments are therefore 
almost entirely appropriated to shops and other 
offices. In many instances I should certainly have 
supposed that the entrance to a respectable house 
d 2 



52 SUMMER AND WINTER 

would lead to a place for horses or cattle; and 
the stairs too being also never washed, and com- 
mon to all the families who live on the different 
stages or flats, are often dirty and disgusting in the 
extreme. Yet no sooner is the door of a salon or 
bed-room thrown open, than you see the walls 
adorned with beautiful paper, handsome slabs and 
fire-places of marble, elegant time-pieces and 
other fancy ornaments, with looking-glasses in 
gilt frames, in great variety and number. In ad- 
dition to which, the window curtains are almost 
invariably arranged with taste ; and over the beds, 
which are covered with silk, or curiously knitted 
counterpanes, hang rich canopies, chiefly of crim- 
son, composed of festoons and fringes, as handsome 
as they are often inappropriate. 

It is then, without carpets, and without comforts 
of a thousand kinds, that English people are con- 
tent to live abroad; and I am inclined to think 
that this is the grand secret of being able to live at 
less expence in France than in our native country, 
— because we are satisfied to do without a vast 
number of things which we imagine to be essential 
to respectability at home. And perhaps we are 
sufficiently repaid for our self-denial, where the 
climate is like that of the south of France. 

For the want of cleanliness, and the general dis- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



53 



comfort in the appearance of the houses, I had 
been in a great measure prepared ; but I confess 
there was one privation which it baffled my philo- 
sophy to sustain, and that was the want of tea ; I 
therefore made it a great point in settling in our 
new abode, to lay in a large stock of this precious 
article, and with the satisfaction of a true English- 
woman, I ordered it to be brought up, on the first 
evening of our arrival at our lodgings. What then 
was my surprise, to find that there was no such 
thing as a kettle in the house, that there never had 
been, and that neither the wants nor the wishes of 
a French family included this important and 
familiar accompaniment to an English fire-side ! 

Nor was this all. Water may certainly be boiled 
without a kettle, but it is said there is not a servant 
in all France who understands the virtue of boiling 
water. Warm water they will bring you, because 
it is sufficient for all their purposes ; but you must 
stand over it yourself, and that every time it is 
required, to see that it actually does boil, or it will 
be brought to you of the temperature of new milk. 
Ours was of this temperature on the evening I had 
ordered tea with such pleasant anticipations, and 
the servant having put in a few leaves of tea, and 
told me it was ready, I poured it out, as clear and 
colourless as if it had been pure water. Nor was 



54 SUMMER AND WINTER 

our next attempt much more successful, for the tea- 
pot was then filled with this lukewarm water, in 
expectation that I should add to it the necessary 
quantity of tea. A few evenings after this, how- 
ever, a veritable kettle was brought for our accom- 
modation, and as a proof how little the people of 
the house were acquainted with the use of it, it 
was always brought up to us, and placed flat upon 
the table w r ith the tea-cups. 

But the greatest disappointment in connexion 
with this social meal, remains to be told. There is 
no tea to be found in Pau, or indeed nearer than 
Toulouse, that is worthy of the name; and the stock 
we had purchased with so much satisfaction, proved 
to be nothing better than some kind of astringent 
herb, with a strong flavour of turpentine. I ought 
to add that good green tea may certainly be had, 
this being the only kind which the French ever 
drink, but out of regard to their nerves they take 
it so weak as to differ little from pure water. 

A far more serious grievance than the want of 
tea, I had already found in the sourness of the 
French bread, which, although extremely light, is 
made wdth leaven instead of yeast, and is always 
more or less sour ; but as most of the bakers in 
Pau sell what they call English bread, this incon- 
venience is easily avoided. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



55 



The month in which strangers settle for the 
winter in Pau 5 is September. About this time the 
price asked for lodgings is very high. A few months 
later they are much more reasonable, and towards 
the spring, may be had for still less. It is not easy 
to give a very exact idea of this portion of the 
expence of a winter in Pau, because the price of 
lodging depends here, as in every other place, upon 
the situation, point of view, as well as upon many 
other points of taste and fancy. Good accommo- 
dations for a family of four or five persons, may be 
found at the rate of 100 or 120 francs per month. 
For handsome furniture, elegant salons, carpets, 
and first-rate situation, it will be necessary to pay 
four times that sum. 

Jt does not appear to be the custom with French 
families residing here, ever to take individuals to 
share at the same table, or in other words to board 
with them ; nor indeed would such a plan be very 
congenial to English habits. It is consequently 
necessary to hire your own servants, and these may 
be had at the following rate. A good cook at from 
twenty to twenty-fiye francs per month; a femme 
de chambre at from ten to fifteen. Of the former 
it is said that they are all cheats. I am unable to 
add my testimony to this sweeping statement, 
having found much kindness, and a fair average of 



56 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



honesty, amongst the French servants. Still it is 
customary, and therefore desirable, to keep such 
things as sugar and coffee out of their reach, and to 
endeavour to ascertain the actual price of what the 
cook may purchase, lest she should appropriate a 
certain commission on each article herself. As 
regards the direct taking of money, or indeed of 
anything of importance, there is certainly as little 
need for suspicion here, as in England. 

In case of the family circumstances of the visitor 
rendering the trouble of a cook undesirable, it is 
easy to adopt the alternative of having dinners 
sent from any of the hotels, or the restaurateurs, 
from whence they can be had according to order, 
at any time, of any quality, and consisting of any 
number of dishes you may desire. The following 
is the rate at which tables are usually supplied. 
For six persons in the salon, and two or three in 
the kitchen, at six francs per day, without wine or 
dessert. We were supplied at one time for three 
francs per day, and much better afterwards for 
two and a half, with one dish of meat, one of 
excellent vegetables, and one of pudding, or some 
other kind of sweet dish. Our best provision was 
from Tourne. I am unable to say whether he is a 
descendant of the famous Tourne, restaurateur of 
this place, of whom it is related by a French writer, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



57 



that such was the excellence of his establishment 
artistique^ that a French gastronome exclaimed in 
an ecstacy of enthusiasm, " The city of Pau has 
produced but two great men, Henry IV., and 
Tourne !" 

The provision of a table for French servants need 
make no part of the stranger's calculation. Let 
them have their bread, which is one of the cheapest 
articles of consumption, or a certain allowance for 
buying it, the wine of the country, which may be 
had at four sous per bottle, their vegetables, and 
lard, and they will be much happier than if fed 
from your own table. They are so obliging too, 
that if any physical or moral power could operate 
so as to make them clean, they would deserve to 
rank high amongst this class of their fellow- 
creatures. 

Perhaps it will convey the most correct idea of 
the state of things in the sort of menage I have 
described, to say that in the items included in fit- 
ting up a kitchen, no kind of pail finds a place, no 
dust cloth, and no apparatus by which the floors 
can possibly be washed ; and when we add to this, 
that the servants are in the habit of pouring out all 
spare slops, wherever they may be, either in the 
kitchen, on the stairs, or even in the salon, the 
state of the floors, especially that of the kitchen$ 

D O 



58 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



may more easily be imagined than described. In 
the case of any particular overthrow, they take a 
long brush with which they are provided, and just 
sweep together dust, ashes, and water, leaving the 
floor to dry how, and when it can. Instead of being 
annoyed by any of these disasters, a smile, and a 
shrug, and a remark that it is of no consequence, 
is the only indication you perceive of their regard- 
ing it. 

As a proof of their comfortable indifference to 
what we regard as points of propriety, a friend of 
ours told us that his servant, finding one night 
she had left a candle burning at the bottom of the 
stairs, very coolly took the kettle, and from a height 
of some hundred steps, poured the water down to 
extinguish it, altogether regardless of the ascent 
of other lodgers at the same time. 

In addition to all this, the stranger in the south 
of France must be prepared for a degree of fami- 
liarity in the manners of the servants, at first rather 
startling to our English reserve. I ought scarcely 
to call it familiarity either, for on no occasion, by 
look, word, or act, do they betray the least desire 
to place themselves on a level with those they 
serve. There is a line of demarcation between 
these two grades in society, which they may be 
safely trusted never to pass ; and if they come often 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



59 



into your room when they think you are lonely, and 
take every opportunity to chat with you, and tell 
you the news, it is purely with a good-natured 
desire to keep you from dullness, as well as from 
tha natural impulse of their own vivacity, which 
irresistibly impels them to talk. In other respects 
they seldom annoy. Their wants are so few, their 
accustomed indulgences so limited, that they never 
come to you with complaints that they cannot do 
one thing, or put up with another ; and while the 
language and gesture of vehement passion is not 
unfrequent amongst themselves, I have never heard 
of a w r ord, or even tone of rudeness being used 
towards their employers. 

After all, there is something in the cheerfulness 
and contentment of a people who have so few of 
our artificial wants, and consequently so few of our 
repinings, from which we might, if we would, learn 
many a useful lesson ; and never is this difference 
in the habits of the two countries more striking, 
than in mixing amongst the happy looking pea- 
santry who meet in busy crowds on a market day 
at Pau. 

The first time we beheld this amusing spectacle, 
we supposed it was a fair ; but found it repeated 
every Monday with the same appearance of ac- 
tivity, liveliness, sociability, and general good-will. 



60 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



One of my favourite amusements, the good taste 
of which might possibly be questioned as a matter 
of gentility, has been to walk along some of the prin- 
cipal roads on a market day, and meet the peasants, 
either coming from, or returning to their homes, 
on which occasions I have often observed that no 
one goes alone. All are gathered into groups ; for 
in France there seem to be but two evils greater 
than nature is able to sustain — loneliness, and 
bitterness. Many are the offers I have had, not 
impertinently, but kindly meant, of companions by 
the way, accompanied by a few words of condolence 
that I was all alone. 

In connexion with the peasantry, it is necessary 
to mention the horses, of which I have yet said 
nothing ; and which, unlike the oxen, appear to be 
hardly treated, and worse fed. The horses in this 
part of France differ almost as much as animals of 
the same species can do, from those in the neigh- 
bourhood of Paris, and Boulogne. They are longer, 
and more slender, with narrow chests, small legs 
that seem to bend under them, and long larikey 
tails, sometimes tied up in knots at half their length, 
in which state the animals seem to have a curious 
propensity to carry them pointing straight out. 
Although some of them are tolerably well shaped, 
those used by the peasantry are for the most part 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



61 



miserable and grotesque looking creatures, having 
been made to work and carry burdens while mere 
foals, never tasting corn, and being doomed to hard 
usage to the end of their lives. 

I have never seen more pitiful objects than some 
of these animals, when flogged up the streets of 
Pan, with heavy loads behind them ; and there 
is a particular kind of cart here, which ren- 
ders the evil greater than it would otherwise be. 
It is a narrow frame of prodigious length, with 
wheels proportionately high, drawn by six, and 
sometimes seven horses, one before another. But 
the great evil is, that, carrying an immense load, 
and filled from one extremity to the other, they 
can with difficulty be drawn up a hill without injury 
to the horse in the shafts; and I have actually seen 
a large animal in this situation, entirely lifted ofj; 
the ground, while the others were struggling as if 
for their lives. 

Mounted upon one of the miserable gaunt look- 
ing horses I have described, with its tail tied up in 
knots, and pointing straight out behind, the reader 
must imagine one of the peasants of Bearn, riding 
to market, with a high saddle such as they always 
use, an immensity of trapping about his horse's 
head, a rusty curb to his bridle, sometimes huge 
wooden stirrups, made in the form of half a shoe, 



62 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and such a load of bags and property of various 
descriptions, strapped on before and behind him, 
that the rider forms but a small part of the whole 
set-out. He himself has a flat brown woollen cap, 
and a cloak of the same material, wide enough at 
the bottom to cover his own legs, and then extend 
backwards over the tail of the horse, so as to make 
them look like one animal. The most curious part 
of the cloak however, is the hood, which in bad 
weather he draws over his head, when the breadth 
which the cap gives it, the flat top, and the long 
point extending out behind, in the form of a funnel, 
render the outline of his person very extraordinary. 

In addition to this figure, the attention of the 
stranger is attracted by an object still more remark- 
able, — the female peasant who pursues her way to 
market seated in the same style. The first I saw 
of this description was a large, stout, respectable 
looking woman, with a neat frilled cap, and lace 
collar ; while the lower extremity of her person dis- 
played a pair of plaid trowsers, and spurs. It is 
however much more common to see the country- 
women with the long white or red capulet or 
hood upon their heads, and all have wide blue 
aprons, which make a kind of riding skirt. Nor is 
the pace at which they ride less strange to us than 
their appearance. It is invariably a long trot, pro- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



63 



bably more easy than it looks, as neither men nor 
women ever rise in their stirrups, but keep their 
seats with great dignity, particularly the latter. 

And well may they assume an aspect of dignity, 
if general usefulness can entitle them to do so ; for 
in this part of France, it is the women who do all 
the work. 'Even on their way to market, we see 
them carrying on their heads the heaviest burdens, 
and it is said they can carry as much as 150 lbs. ; 
while the men go swaggering along with nothing 
but a stick. It would be an easier task to enume- 
rate the kinds of labour in which women are not 
employed, than those in which they are. In the 
country they are to be seen every day at this sea- 
son of the year, ploughing and harrowing, and 
spreading or carting manure ; at other seasons, 
mowing, reaping, and carrying the hay home on 
their heads; while in the market we find them 
selling their com, and every other produce of their 
farms. In the towns, besides being employed 
in sweeping the streets, and cleaning the lamps, 
they act as labourers to the paviors, bricklayers, 
and stone-masons ; and carry on the work of 
glaziers, and almost every other duty, both in 
doors and out, except that of serving as sol- 
diers. 

It may readily be supposed that the women 
suffer much in their appearance from such habits of 



64 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



hard labour, and constant exposure to the weather. 
The consequence is, they look old before middle 
life, and in real old age, the loss of their teeth, 
their naturally hard features, and complexions, dry, 
leathern, and all over wrinkles, combine to render 
them hideous in the extreme. Still they seem to 
enjoy life, especially as they go home from market, 
munching their dry bread or roasted chestnuts 
along the road, and chatting in noisy groups, about 
the business of the day. Yet I must confess, when 
I have seen one of these old women riding like a 
man, at a hard launching trot, I have longed to 
place her in a comfortable, arm chair by the fire- 
side of an English cottage, to put a neat cap upon 
her head, and a bible in her hand, and so leave her 
to pass the remainder of her days in peace. 

If it should be asked, where are the children all 
the while the women are thus employed, I must 
answer, that I cannot tell. Compared with Eng- 
land, and especially with Ireland, the number of 
children in the south of France is so small, that 
one wonders the more to behold the multitude of 
peasants who flock to the fairs and markets. Those 
we do see, are sometimes very beautiful, for the 
French countenance wants nothing but the softness 
and sweetness of extreme youth, to render it lovely 
and attractive. The features of the Bearnais, 
both amongst the men and women, are generally 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



65 



well formed, and remarkable for the just proportion 
of the three divisions which the laws of beauty have 
assigned to the length of the human countenance ; 
whereas in England, there is scarcely one face in a 
hundred, of which the lowest third, extending from 
the end of the nose to the lowest line of the chin, 
is not by far the longest. The Bearnais too have 
invariably thin and delicately formed lips, but there 
is, especially amongst the men, a breadth of jaw 
from ear to ear, which, in addition to the hard 
sharp lines of the nose and nostrils, gives them an 
expression of countenance always coarse, and some- 
times almost savage. 

These defects, however, offend but little in the 
countenance of youth, and the children of Pau, but 
particularly the young girls just growing into 
women, are certainly amongst the prettiest I have 
ever seen. Much of the charm of their appearance 
is no doubt attributable to the neatness, and ap- 
propriateness of the dress worn by the poorer 
classes, above all to that which adorns the head, 
and which always consists of a coloured handker- 
chief, more or less tastefully arranged. The eye is 
never shocked here, as in England, by the slovenly 
cap, the shabby bonnet, or the mock finery which 
too frequently disfigures this class of women in our 
native land. Whether the Bearnaise women are 
engaged in house, or field labour, their dresses are 



66 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



always appropriate, and their colours, which are 
much more striking and brilliant than ours, almost 
invariably well chosen. 

Of these colours, the most tasteful are generally 
displayed in the handkerchief, which forms the 
head-dress* It is of a manufacture peculiar to the 
country, which neither fades nor crumples. The 
middle is usually of a drab, fawn, or brown colour, 
with a broad border suited to it. It is adjusted so 
as to give a Grecian contour to the head and face, 
and I suspect, notwithstanding its appearance of 
artless simplicity, that there are degrees of coquetry 
by which it is arranged, so as best to suit the coun- 
tenance of the wearer. Beneath this handkerchief 
we see soft bands of dark hair carefully parted on 
the forehead, and placed against the cheek, so as to 
contrast in the best manner, with a complexion at 
once glowing and delicate, healthy and pure. Add 
to this, the neatest little collar round the neck, the 
universal shawl pinned down in front, over which 
the hands in curiously coloured mittens are closely 
folded, and you see ninety-nine out of a hundred 
of the young women in this part of France. 

The peasant women, besides the handkerchief 
above described, wear generally, when out of doors, 
a kind of hood, called a capulet. It is made of 
white or scarlet cloth, of the finest texture, often 
bordered with black velvet, and has an extremely 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



67 



picturesque and striking appearance, whether hang- 
ing loosely from the head to the shoulders, over 
which it extends, or folded thick and flat on the 
head, as we often see it in Italian pictures. 

Instead of the capulet, the women frequently 
wear, in bad weather, and almost always when they 
go to church, a large cloak of black or blue stuff, 
lined with red, which entirely conceals the figure, 
and, sombre as it is, looks not inappropriate, when 
they are kneeling in the churches. 

Neither of these dresses are, however, so much 
used in the country, on common occasions, as in the 
town : the capulet being generally folded up, until 
the peasant woman enters the market, where, of 
course, she wishes to appear to the greatest advan- 
tage. When on horseback, too, they much more 
frequently wear, in addition to the handkerchief 
already described, another tied loosely over their 
heads, simply to preserve them from the glare 
of the sun, to which neither men nor women 
allow their heads to be exposed. The capulet 
would also be less convenient for the many bur- 
dens they have to carry, especially one we have 
sometimes seen, which is a pig round the back of 
the neck, with the legs held together in front ; and 
whatever this may be to the bearer, it looks com- 
fortable enough to the pig. For the manner in 



63 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



which lambs are carried I cannot say so much, for 
I have often seen them with their four feet tied 
together in a bunch, and the woman's arm slipped 
through them, so that the animal hung down like 
a basket. 

But it would be as vain to attempt to enumerate 
the strange things that women will carry, as the 
trifles which furnish an excuse for taking them to 
market. One fowl, and I have heard it said, one 
egg, will take them many miles to sell it ; while 
two men almost invariably, make it their business 
to take a calf, one of them to pull it on, and the 
other to push behind. 

The rest of their dress is of the simplest and 
coarsest description, usually consisting of a thick 
woollen petticoat, of brown or blue, with a stripe 
of a different colour; a blue cloth jacket, tight to 
the waist, and a cotton shawl or handkerchief 
pinned over it. This dress being dark and durable, 
and exactly suited to their occupation, never looks 
either dirty or shabby ; nor is there such a thing 
as a ragged garment to be seen, even upon the 
poorest, or the most infirm. 

With regard to shoes and stockings, they are not 
particular. Indeed, both seem to be luxuries, of 
which they make parade on public occasions, for 
we often see the women stopping to put them on 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



69 



before they enter the town, and taking them off 
again on their return, in order to pursue their way 
with less incumbrance. The peasants and the 
mountaineers wear universally rudely shaped shoes 
of wood, immensely thick, but turned up with a 
pointed toe. They are said to keep the feet warm, 
by being half filled with straw. 

In addition to the costume above described, the 
French servant at Pau appears to be inseparable 
from her basket. Whether she goes to buy or sell, 
and often when she has no such object, she must 
have her basket, either hanging on her arm, or 
placed upon her head ; and it is in the latter situa- 
tion that we see the baskets flat and shallow-, but 
of such prodigious circumference, that the wonder 
is, how r they are able to pass along the busy streets. 
The women also carry on their heads, as they go 
to and from the different fountains, a peculiar kind 
of cruehe, or water-pot, of brown earthenware, so 
formed as to give the bearer a very classical and 
picturesque appearance. 

Nor must we omit, amongst the medley groups 
which throng the streets and promenades of Pau, 
the stately priest, with his long black robes, and 
silken sash of the same colour. Whether worn by 
the young or the old, there is something in their 
dress which gives them the same venerable and 



70 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



s 



patriarchal look ; increased, no doubt, by their 
wearing their hair cut very short in front, and 
hanging long behind, as well as by the large cocked 
hat, fastened up on three sides with strings or 
stays. At funerals, and on other public occa- 
sions, this hat gives place to another, in the shape 
of a cone, with a large bushy tuft at the top ; while 
the black robe is covered with one of thin muslin, 
apparently well starched; long bands of which 
material fall down from the shoulders, and of these 
some are curiously crimped, I suppose to indicate 
the office or the dignity of the wearer. 

With an aspect scarcely less solemn than the 
priest's, and clothed in a costume more curious, we 
see occasionally the Sisters of Charity, moving 
along the streets on their errands of kindness. Of 
this order there are eleven residing at Pau, and 
they have under their care an hospital for the sick 
and the aged, as well as for unfortunate children, 
not acknowledged by their parents. These women, 
who are all extremely stout and comely, notwith- 
standing their arduous duties, wear the dark cloth 
dress of nuns, with a string of large beads, and 
crucifix suspended by their side ; and having, from 
the nature of their occupations, to be so frequently 
exposed to the public gaze, their faces are shaded 
by a large bonnet of white linen, so stiff as to re- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



71 



semble pasteboard, while from its enormous peak, 
which projects out in front, are sloping sides, 
forming a sort of curved brim, so as entirely to 
shade the neck and shoulders. 

We have now to imagine all these figures, and 
a thousand others, which it would be impossible to 
describe, passing and repassing along the most 
crowded parts of the city of Pau, sometimes under 
the deep shadow of the ancient buildings, whose 
irregular roofs, black slates, innumerable windows, 
old balconies, and often overhanging gables, give 
a peculiarly foreign aspect to the long perspective of 
the narrow streets; while in other parts we see 
them gathered into groups, in the full blaze of the 
sunshine, which brightens into tenfold vividness the 
rich colouring of their various costumes. Around 
them too are scattered on the ground, or heaped in 
baskets, the fresh green vegetables, the fruits, and 
other produce of this fertile land, in such pro- 
fusion, that you wonder not at the cheerful spark- 
ling of their blight black eyes, as they look around 
for purchasers; while with all their natural facility 
of speech, and their never-tiring gesticulation in 
full play? they exhibit all the accompaniments of 
that system of trickery, which seems to form the 
pastime of a Bearnais market. 

For the purpose of selling corn, a handsome and 



72 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



commodious hall has been erected, in a central 
part of the town, and here the women are always 
to be seen, as usual, occupying the place appro- 
priated with us exclusively to men. Of all the 
different kinds of produce or manufacture to be 
sold, each has its distinct and separate place. Pota- 
toes, for instance, which form a much more im- 
portant article of consumption than we were aware 
of, are sold only in one part of the town; flax, 
which is extensively grown, in another ; earthen- 
ware, poultry, cart-loads of wooden shoes, dried 
grass for making mattrasses, fuel, rosin, which is 
sold to be made into candles, and used by the 
country people, all have their proper place of 
allotment for display, with many other articles for 
sale, too numerous to be named. 

We must not, however, forget to mention the 
pigs of this country, which furnish the far-famed 
hams of Bayonne, and which also have their ap- 
pointed place. They are of a large species, fat- 
tened on chesnuts, and are held in just estimation 
for their excellent bacon, which is sold at one 
franc per pound. It is curious to see them under- 
going their ablutions in the morning of a market- 
day, when they are driven down to the river and 
thoroughly washed, by having water thrown on 
them with a wooden shovel. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



73 



Perhaps no articles are seen here in greater 
abundance, than the different woollen goods 
manufactured in the country, of every kind, 
and quality, from the finest merinos, down to the 
coarse brown worsted of the native colour of the 
mountain sheep, from which the dress of the 
peasantry is chiefly made. The art of knitting too, 
is carried to a degree of perfection, almost in- 
credible to those who have never travelled amongst 
the Pyrenees ; and knitted woollen articles of 
almost every description, and of all the colours of 
the rainbow, may be found here upon the various 
stalls on a market day ; though they are to be met 
with in much greater perfection at Bagneres de 
Bigorre. Besides these there are all kinds of cot- 
ton goods, with a most enticing display of the 
coloured handkerchieves for the head, as well as 
the red sashes which the Bearnais peasants wear 
round the body. 

In addition to these attractions, there is always 
in some part of the town on a market day, 
a concourse of country people gathered round 
a man, whose object most probably is, to sell off 
such articles as need more than common recom- 
mendation, and for this purpose he usually mounts 
upon a cart or stage, and by his grotesque and 
ridiculous costume, as well as by his extravagant 



74 SUMMER AND WINTER 

and vehement gesticulations, endeavours to attract 
the attention of passers by. He is not unfrequently 
disguised under a cocked hat, and white wig, while 
his face, distorted and swollen by the excess of his 
vociferations, gives him all the appearance of in- 
sanity; and in England he would certainly be 
taken for a mountebank, or a madman. 

In the neighbourhood of the Pyrenees, the fruit 
is neither so plentiful, nor so fine, as at a greater 
distance from the mountains. The grapes however 
are excellent, and these may be bought in the 
autumn, at the rate of twelve pounds for ten sous, 
about five pence, figs, twenty for one sous, medlars, 
eighteen for one sous, roasted chestnuts, twenty-four 
for one sous, walnuts, twenty for one sous, apples 
one sous per dozen. 

Butter is generally sold in Pau at one franc per 
pound, milk three sous for half a pint, beef and 
mutton eighteen sous per pound, which is thirty-six 
ounces. A turkey is sold at three francs, a couple 
of chickens at thirty or thirty-three sous, a couple 
of ducks at three francs, a quail four or five sous. 
All vegetables abundant, cheap and good. 

One of the first articles of importance with which 
the stranger in Pau has to provide himself at 
lodgings, is wood for fuel ; and this must be pur- 
chased early on the market day. It is brought to 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



75 



the place of sale in small cart loads. For one load, 
which will probably last a small family three weeks 
he must give ten or twelve francs, not forgetting to 
acid another load of faggots, which may be had at 
the rate of six sous for each bundle, when bought 
by the load. Besides which it will be necessary to 
lay in a stock of charcoal, the grand secret of 
French cookery consisting in the many vessels they 
can keep hot, beside their little charcoal fires. 

In these, and all his bargainings, the stranger, 
especially if he be an Englishman, must lay it to 
account that he will be over charged ; for there is 
an idea prevailing here, that the English people 
have so much money, they are at a loss how to dis- 
pose of it, and consequently the French endeavour 
to assist them by practising every kind of imposi- 
tion which promises the least hope of success. 
Even when dealing with the people of their own 
country, they are in the habit of asking much more 
for every article than they expect finally to receive. 
On their first offer being declined, they kindly 
invite the purchaser to make his own, after 
which ensues that scene of bargaining and dis- 
puting, which is so well suited to the Frenchman's 
turn of mind, but for which the English have neither 
taste nor talent. 

It is perhaps from the absence of this talent, and 
e 2 



78 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



in some cases partly owing to ignorance of the 
niceties of the language, that English strangers 
form their estimate of the great expensiveness of 
residing in Pau. With a perfect knowledge of the 
language, more especially of the tricks and turns 
by which a good bargain is effected; with health for 
personal effort, and with a spirit to trace out and 
baffle all deception, it would, I imagine, be possible 
to live much more cheaply here than in England. 

An intelligent friend who has resided three 
years in Pau, has kindly supplied me with the 
following, amongst many other items of information 
respecting the state of the country, and the habits 
of the people. From his statements, confirmed by 
general observation, we find that the French have 
the happy art of managing their affairs, so as to 
live at much less expense than the English do, 
either here or in their own country. 

" In the city of Pau the wages of a man servant 
are from twenty to thirty francs per month. A 
sempstress is paid only eight sous per day, besides 
her maintenance. A day labourer receives from 
twenty to twenty-tw T o sous per day; journeymen 
tailors two francs per day ; masons, thirty sous per 
day, and head masons or builders, two francs ; car- 
penters thirty sous, gardeners the same ; cabinet 
makers and painters, fifty sous per day, which is 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



77 



the highest rate of wages. Clerks in warehouses, 
or counting houses, receive from forty to fifty francs 
per month. The priests charge five francs for a 
mass performed for an individual, or at a funeral, 
and ordinary funerals cost about thirty or forty 
francs. Private soldiers receive only one sous per 
day. 

" In the smaller towns of the department of the 
lower Pyrenees, there are many proprietors who 
live in a style of gentility upon 2000 or 3000 francs 
(£80 to £120) per annum; fowls, eggs, bread, and 
vegetables, forming almost the only provision of 
country residents. In the town of Argeles, consist- 
ing of 2000 inhabitants, one calf and one sheep 
were weekly sacrificed to the appetites of the 
whole town, two English families consuming at 
least a fourth part of this provision. During four 
months (the duration of our friend's experience) no 
beef was to be met with." 



78 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



CHAPTER IV. 

BURIAL GROUND AT PAU — GENERAL ORDER AND QUIET 
OF THE TOWN — DOMESTIC HABITS AND CHARACTER 

OF THE COMMON PEOPLE AMUSEMENTS FETES 

RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES NUN TAKING THE VEIL 

PROTESTANT WORSHIP IN FRANCE. 

From the contemplation of the lively spectacle 
which the busy scenes already described present, 
we naturally turn to a different view of the picture, 
and ask what is the end of all this appearance of 
activity and life. The answer is an humbling one, 
for how few could we find amongst this energetic 
race, so rich in the enjoyment of health, and of all 
those faculties which render life a blessing — how 
very few who are animated by a wish or a hope 
beyond the mere bodily requirements of daily life 
— how few who dream of any other kind of useful- 
ness than that which has self for its centre, and its 
bound; and perhaps fewer still, whose aims and 
whose endeavours have ever been extended beyond 
this present life ! It is then but as a moving pic- 
ture, that the scene can really please, for the mind 



IN THE PYUENEES. 



79 



is perhaps more than usually impressed with the 
insufficiency of mere earthly hopes and objects, 
in a situation where so many strangers come to 
die ; where all, and more than all the accustomed 
means of restoration so often prove unequal to the 
purchase of relief from pain ; and where the com- 
bined advantages of youth, and wealth, and affec- 
tionate solicitude, are so often found to be in vain. 

Perhaps it is that so many come too late, but I 
have seldom been more struck with the impotence 
of mere human means for arresting the progress of 
disease, than in visiting, on one of the sunniest and 
sweetest days of our early residence at Pau, the 
burial ground where so many strangers are interred. 
It is situated at the outskirts of a high part of 
the town, on a hill which slopes to the west; 
the side which would otherwise be most exposed 
to public view, being protected by a high wall, and 
screened by an avenue of trees. 

The greatest portion of this enclosure is appro- 
priated to the Roman Catholics, whose graves, 
adorned with flowers, and shrubs, are some of 
them preserved with the greatest care, while the 
simple and touching inscriptions on the tombstones, 
and the little stool at the foot of the grave, where 
the mourner comes to kneel, w r ould indicate that 
their memory was still precious to the survivors. 



80 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



There are others, however, where the taste is 
shocked by a display of the meanest tinsel ; and 
others still, which bear evident marks of forgetful- 
ness, or at least of neglect. 

In one corner of the burial ground is the Pro- 
testant place of rest. This also is ornamented by 
weeping willows, and other plants, and surrounded 
by a little hedge of roses. This space contains the 
remains of strangers from almost every land, but 
chiefly from England, Scotland, and Ireland ; and 
many of the inscriptions are dedicated to the 
memory of married women, between the ages of 
twenty-five and thirty-five. 

Peaceful and retired as this burial ground ap- 
pears to be when you have entered it, one can 
scarcely say that it is appropriately situated, 
from its proximity to the barracks, and perhaps 
more particularly from its being immediately ad- 
joining a piece of ground appropriated to the pur- 
pose of shooting at a mark, where the first lessons 
in the art of duelling are taught, and where the 
pupils have a board to aim at, on which is painted 
the full-length figure of a man, with a circle of red 
and white to indicate the position of his heart. 

I confess the purpose, and the situation of this 
place, so near to the burial ground, has given me a 
feeling of inexpressible repulsion, whenever I have 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



81 



passed by; more especially, when I have seen a 
coarse, bold woman, who seems to have the keeping 
of the ground, and who gives out the powder and 
the bullets to those who are here learning to 
become murderers. 

At a short distance from the place, and parallel 
with a noble avenue of trees by which the burial 
ground is shaded, stand the barracks, a long, 
regular, and handsome line of building, in a high 
and healthy situation, with a wide extent of open 
ground in front, where the soldiers perform their 
exercise. The whole of this space, with the avenues 
by which on two sides it is still adorned, was for- 
merly included in the gardens and pleasure grounds 
of the chateau ; and there is still something of its 
former character, in a beautiful grove of trees at 
the north-western extremity, under the shade of 
which the country people enjoy the advantage of 
placing their cattle, on market and fair days. 

It might be imagined that the order and quiet of 
the town of Pau would be in some degree disturbed 
by the number of troops usually stationed here. So 
far from this, however, nothing can exceed the re- 
gularity and good discipline of the soldiers, a hardy, 
healthy-looking set of men, whose simple diet, and 
scanty allowance of one sous per day, exercise no 
doubt a wholesome and beneficial influence upon 
e 3 



82 SUMMER AND WINTER 

their general habits. Nor are there any towns of 
the same size in England, where a greater degree 
of public tranquillity and order prevails. And not- 
withstanding the many little acts of deception and 
falsehood for which strangers must be prepared, in 
no place is property more generally secure. Street 
broils are also exceedingly rare, and burglaries 
neither heard of nor dreaded. 

As an exception to the general rule of order, 
however, I must not omit one particular kind of 
annoyance, which is probably too much in accor- 
dance with French taste to have been made a sub- 
ject of prohibition by the authorities of the place. 
It is a habit of screaming, howling, or yelling, I 
know not which to call it. Perhaps a combination 
of all three would be most appropriate ; and frightful 
and discordant as it is, there is seldom an evening 
when it is not heard between the hours of six and 
eleven. It seems to be an amusement peculiar to 
young men, who begin their performance with a 
howling scream, which goes off into a kind of 
mock laughter; and it generally prevails when a 
regiment of soldiers is about to leave the town. At 
these times also, you are often disturbed early in 
the morning, by the drum which beats them up 
from their different quarters, as well as by troops 
of their friends or comrades, who assemble in the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



83 



streets through which they pass, and sing in chorus 
some wild and boisterous song ; which, rousing us 
suddenly from sleep, as it often has done, in the 
darkness of a winter's morning, always reminded us 
of the state of France during the time of the 
revolution. 

An idea of the comparative infrequeney of crime 
amongst the Bearnaise people, may be formed from 
the following observations, kindly furnished me by 
an intelligent friend, formerly a judge in one of our 
colonies, who has resided in Pau during the last 
three years, and who is the author of a very interest- 
ing work on " The Reformation in the South-west 
Provinces of France." 

" There is usually a regiment of the line stationed 
at Pau, and nothing can exceed the order and quiet 
discipline of these men. It is the more remarkable 
that such order and quiet should prevail, since no 
religious instruction or observance whatever is given 
to, or required of them. No chaplains have been 
appointed to regiments in France, since the year 
1830. The men are never taken to church, and 
the Sundays and fete days being selected as periods 
of military display, or review, they cannot of course 
individually attend Divine service. 

Although the population of Pau amounts to 
14,000, the prison is rarely tenanted by more than 



64 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



six detenus. The cases are usually what we should 
term in England petty larceny. No case of capital 
punishment has occurred during the last twenty- 
two years. 

Yet the criminal laws of France are very severe. 
There are five classes of prisons. 

1. LesBagnes, viz. Toulon, Brest, and Rochefort. 
In these the condemned criminals are employed in 
hard labour. Brest receives those condemned for 
life, or ten years. Their number at present is 
25,000. Toulon and Rochefort receive those sen- 
tenced to from five to ten years' imprisonment. The 
first of these has 3,000 for cats, as they are called, 
the latter 1,600. 

2. Les Maisons Centrales. Of these there are 
nineteen in France, for prisoners sentenced to 
from one to five years' imprisonment. 

3. Maisons de Correction. There are eighty- 
seven of these, for terms not exceeding a year. 

4. Maisons d* Arret. These are for prisoners 
whose offences are not of a grave nature. 

5. Les Depots. For those charged with offences 
and detained for trial. 

Notwithstanding this apparently excellent classifi- 
cation, great confusion exists in the administration 
of the system, on account of the insufficiency of 
place^ of detention, and also from the necessity of 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



85 



lodging persons en route, at the different prisons. 
Even the two sexes are not always separated. The 
average number of criminal prisoners, exclusive of 
military, is about 50,000. 

There is no system of poor laws in France ; and 
though it is part of the business of the municipality 
of towns to provide for the poor, this is not done 
with regularity, nor are there any fixed funds for 
supplying resources. Each winter, or period of 
distress, a vote of the town council affords more or 
less towards a charitable fund, and subscriptions 
are solicited in aid. Assistance is afforded not by 
money, but by fuel, bread, and clothing, and is 
seldom continued beyond a few weeks. The very 
aged and decrepid have a tin badge given them, 
which is a licence to beg. No other mendicants 
are permitted. In addition to this public resource, 
the priests have " quetes " or collections made at 
the churches, of which there are only two in Pau, 
besides the hospital chapel ; and as these contribu- 
tions are disbursed solely by themselves, they are 
enabled to gain, and to retain, a strong influence 
over the lower orders. There are no parochial 
divisions in France, in a religious sense ; but the 
cures agree amongst themselves as to the extent of 
their respective districts. 

It is not many months since (1840), that the 



86 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



cure of St. Jaques being desirous of enlarging his 
church, appealed to the people for aid, and in the 
course of a few days 10,000 francs were contributed. 
On occasion of these public " quetes," the most 
distinguished ladies stand at the doors of the 
churches, with little tin boxes, which they gaily 
shake at the ears of those entering or leaving the 
church, and in order to enforce the levy, are not 
sparing of intercessions to the gentry. 

A considerable sum is daily raised by the priests 
from the letting of chairs or seats in the churches. 
There are no pews or benches, but single chairs 
are let by the sacristan, for one sous each mass. 
Masses are performed on festival days every hour, 
from six in the morning till mid-day. Sermons 
are rarely preached except during Lent, Whitsun- 
tide, &c. &c. On these occasions the churches are 
filled to overflowing. The priests, besides the 
resources of profit they possess, are paid by govern- 
ment, on a scale little superior to the Protestant 
ministers." 

The general aspect of the population of Pau, as 
well as that of all the towns and villages I have 
seen in the south of France, would convey the idea 
that intemperance was much more rare than in 
England ; and there is no doubt but cases of gross 
or fatal intemperance are much less frequent, a fact 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



87 



which is the more to be wondered at, when the 
wines of the country are so cheap, and when excel- 
lent brandy may be had at the price of sixteen pence 
per quart. Still, on making farther observations with 
strict reference to this subject, we have seen but 
too many old men led home from market in a state 
of comparative helplessness, and but too many 
young ones something more than excited ; but, for 
the honour of the hard-working portion of the com- 
munity, I must add, that a woman whose conduct 
excited even a suspicion of the kind, I have never 
seen. 

Indeed they appear to be too fully employed — 
too heavily laden with the actual burdens of life, to 
have time for any kind of self-indulgence. We 
seldom see them, as in England, even surrounded 
by their children, nor does it appear to be consistent 
with the taste of French women to derive pleasure- 
from those sources of maternal interest which the 
helpless state of infancy affords. 

It is the custom throughout the whole of France, 
for mothers to send away their infants to be nursed, 
almost as soon as they have seen the light ; and 
this custom prevails, not only amongst the higher, 
but the middle classes, whose children are frequently 
put out to be nursed at the rate of ten francs per 



88 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



month ; and they are often placed with mothers, 
who, to make way for them, send out their own 
children at little more than half that expense. 

We had been two months settled in our lodgings 
before we knew that there was a child belonging to 
the house. At the expiration of that time, the 
nurse being taken ill, a fine infant was brought 
home, whose good nature, happy countenance, and 
playful habits, might have done good to the heart 
of its mother, or at least might have kept her from 
some of the balls she was in the habit of attending, 
at least three times a week, and every Sunday 
during carnival. 

It is remarkable that in the French language 
there is no word synonymous with our word home — 
no word that even approaches to it, in the magic 
influence this word possesses over the hearts of 
those who understand and feel it. The beautiful 
climate of the Pyrenees, which tempts every one 
into the open air, may be some apology for the 
general desertion and discomfort of the houses 
of the peasantry, and of the poorer classes in 
general ; but certainly there must be some national 
or constitutional defect in the habits of a people, 
who seek their amusement and their interest any 
where rather than at home. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



89 



I have said that the women appear to be too 
busy to find time for any personal indulgence, but 
the frequent dancing, both in town and country, 
especially on Sunday, must form an exception to 
this rule. Through the whole of the Sunday, both 
men and women seem to give themselves up to the 
pursuit of pleasure, as earnestly as they do to 
labour during the rest of the week. It is on this 
day especially, that the English stranger feels his 
real distance from his native land, and sighs in vain 
for the repose, and the quiet, as well as for the 
many holier associations, with which the memory 
of the sabbath is sanctified to him. 

It is true that in the south of France, the pea- 
sants do not go out to field labour exactly as on 
other days, that the shops in the towns are less 
frequented, that the common people are generally 
more neatly dressed, and many of them, especially 
the women, may be seen in the earlier part of the 
day repairing to the different churches ; but the 
fact that it is a day set apart for amusement of 
every kind, amongst which may be enumerated 
horse racing, horse fairs, plays, dancing, and public 
shows, sufficiently proves how little idea prevails 
amongst the people, of the real purpose for w 7 hich 
the institution of the sabbath was ordained. 

With regard to this day, we were particularly 



90 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



unfortunate in the lodgings we had chosen, being 
opposite to the theatre, where a more than common 
display is expected every Sunday evening ; in addi- 
tion to which, we were immediately over a room 
for drinking wine, for which purpose people con- 
tinually flocked in between the acts. 

Besides the " spectacle" many of the barns, and 
public rooms in the town and the suburbs of Pau, 
are filled with dancers on the Sunday afternoon and 
evening, especially during the carnival ; and in 
passing along the streets on that day, you fre- 
quently see stages erected for the display of some 
monster, or the performance of some mountebank ; 
and with these it is the custom for a party to sta- 
tion themselves at the doors of the churches, during 
service, where they beat their drams, and announce 
to the people as they come out, what is to be the 
amusement of the afternoon or evening. 
, In addition to all this desecration of the sabbath, 
there are other amusements connected with what 
are called religious observances, in which the peo- 
ple make it a great point to take part. To us, 
however, their religious processions, their fetes, 
and their masques, appeared altogether as devoid 
of interest, as on the one hand they were conducted 
without reverence, and on the other without wit or 
point. I had expected that the masques, and the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



91 



tricks of the carnival, would have been such as to 
excite merriment at least, instead of which the whole 
is a childish and grotesque piece of buffoonery, as 
entirely without aim, as apparently without effect, 
for they do not even laugh themselves. 

Indeed I should be at a loss to say what does 
make the French people laugh. That they smile, 
and look lively, and good humoured, may be said 
of almost all, as well as that they are capable of 
being thrown, on the instant, and from the slightest 
possible cause, into a perfect explosion of speech 
and gesticulation enough to strike an English per- 
son dumb for an hour; but the hearty, spirit-stirring 
laugh, which indicates the having got possession of 
an excellent joke, and which even before its awaken- 
ing cause is fully told, infects the bystanders, until 
it echoes from one to another of the merry group 
— this laugh, or any thing approaching to it, is 
never heard in France. 

Nor, had the French people really any very 
acute sense of the ridiculous, could they pass with 
gravity the heterogeneous scenes which daily meet 
their view. Of this fact a French diligence in all 
its glory is perhaps the strpngest illustration ; but 
there are also carriages of many other descriptions, 
postilions, equestrians, costumes and customs, not 
only different from our own, but so grotesque in 



92 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



themselves, that the wonder is they never excite so 
much as a smile. Amongst these it may not be 
inappropriate to mention, that a friend of ours, 
saw at Toulouse, a woman, finely dressed, riding on 
horseback, in the Bearnais fashion, and preceded 
by a herald with a trumpet, announcing that she 
had English needles to sell. 

It is but justice to the Bearnaise to add, that 
their anger is as transient and superficial as their 
mirth. When they quarrel it is but for the moment, 
and their accustomed appearance of lively good 
nature is immediately resumed. As a specimen of 
the only kind of street broils we ever witnessed, I saw 
two men one day in the very climax of a passion. 
One of them, the most exasperated, started up with 
the countenance of a fury, stooped down in the 
attitude of gathering up a fist full of strength, and 
with his hand clenched rushed at the other, as if to 
strike him a deadly blow. Before his hand reached 
the face of the offender, however, his fingers 
expanded like a star fish, and the whole thing went 
off in air. 

Desirous of ascertaining whether the French 
were ever really entertained with their own mum- 
meries, I went on the last day of the carnival to 
see an exhibition which takes place annually on the 
road to Bizanos, a little village situated at the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



93 



distance of a mile from Pau. The origin of this 
custom seems to have had some relation to a fanciful 
idea of performing the obsequies of the carnival, 
by burning or burying some kind of effigy, but the 
whole affair has now dwindled down to a mere 
promenade on foot, on horseback, or in any kind 
of carriage, up and down a straight road, for about 
the distance of three quarters of a mile ; in which 
space you meet nearly the whole population of Pau 
— rich and poor, high and low, with here and there 
a few masks; while groups of dancers fill the 
neighbouring barns, and bands of discordant music 
help to make c confusion worse confounded.' 

Had we been previously disposed to call in ques- 
tion the power of custom over the habits of the 
multitude, we might have come here to be con- 
vinced of its extent ; for what else can induce some 
of the most respectable families to drive backwards 
and forwards through such a scene, where, to say 
nothing of its aimless stupidity, the crowd is such 
as often to endanger human life? We ourselves 
were witness to one of the maskers being thrown 
down by the horses of a gentleman's carriage, and 
remaining some time in such a position, that a 
single movement of the horses, either forward or 
backward, must have been fatal. In all this 
motley crowd, we looked in vain for merriment. 



94 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



It is true a sharp north-east wind was blowing all 
the time, and cold is a powerful sedative to animal 
spirits; but I had certainly expected to see some 
point, or some purpose in the frolic, and for this 
I looked in vain amongst the different actors in 
the scene. A friend told us afterwards, that he 
had seen a man swinging about a pot of burning 
pitch, in imitation of the manner in which incense 
is burned, and scattered in the churches. 

Nor is this idle and aimless parade more 
destitute of interest, than their exhibitions of a 
religious character are devoid of reverence or 
solemn feeling. A French funeral is a melancholy 
spectacle, especially if it be that of a person of the 
poorer class. I have seen the priest who was about 
to perform the last act of duty to the dead, walking 
towards the house of mourning with all the boys of 
a village about him, one of them carrying the 
cross, and all chattering and laughing as they 
went, as if on their way to a merry-making. A 
little while after, I have seen the funeral procession 
advancing at a brisk pace, half a dozen careless- 
looking country fellows, three on each side, swing- 
ing the coffin between them, and talking merrily 
all the way, while a few old women followed with 
candles in their hands. 

Nor were such funerals of the lowest grade. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



95 



There are those of the patients who die in the 
hospital, for whom a common coffin is employed, 
which is brought back from the grave, after the 
body has been deposited there. 

The manner of conducting the funeral of a 
young person, or a child, appeared to us very 
singular the first time we witnessed it. The 
procession was conducted, as usual, by a priest 
advancing in great state, with his conical hat and 
white muslin robe, while a man who walked by his 
side, chanted all the wav in a loud and sonorous 
voice. We were near the burial ground, and 
stood still to see the procession pass; but where 
the bearers could be, we were at a loss to 
imagine. At last we beheld the coffin, balanced 
upon the head of a boy, and though apparently 
as long as himself, he never put up his hand to 
keep it steady, but walked along at a quick pace 
behind the priest. All the funerals in this part of 
France are conducted on foot, and usually take 
place at the expiration of twenty-four hours after 
the person's death. 

There is now no monastery in Pau, but a small 
number of Ursuline sisters occupy a convent in 
a central part of the town. To this order there 
were three or four additions, during the time of 
our residence in the neighbourhood ; and, having 



96 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



heard much of the solemn and imposing character 
of the ceremony which takes place on occasion of 
such accessions, I took an opportunity of witnessing 
a spectacle, which there seems to be a tendency 
in all minds to invest with peculiar interest. 

On entering the chapel of the convent, I found 
it already crowded with curious and eager specta- 
tors, a considerable number of whom were English. 
By securing a place among the crowd more im- 
mediately opposite to that part of the chapel which 
is appropriated to the nuns, it was not difficult to 
see all that took place within the oratory, which is 
separated from the body of the church by- a 
grating, or screen of lattice work ; and here we 
saw the young ladies of the school belonging to 
the convent, seated in regular order, all neatly 
dressed, most of them smiling and whispering, and 
looking like anything but renouncing the world. 
At the sound of a bell, however, they all assumed 
a different aspect, and rising from their seats as 
the door of the oratory opened, made way for a 
procession of solemn sisters, clothed in their long 
black robes, and bearing lighted tapers in their 
hands. Between two of these, and bearing also 
a lighted taper in her hand, advanced the object 
upon whom all eyes were fixed, the nun who was 
about to take the veil. She w T as a stately-looking 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



97 



woman, apparently about thirty, dressed in a robe 
of rich yellow satin, with a splendidly embroidered 
scarf. Her jet black hair was arranged in ringlets, 
and on one side was placed a large white rose. 
She advanced towards a crucifix, and having 
placed her candle on the altar, performed the 
usual act of reverence, and then sat down in a 
crimson chair which had been placed for her, 
immediately opposite an opening in the lattice 
which commanded a full view of the altar in the 
sanctuary, where about a dozen priests, in full 
costume, according to their different orders in the 
church, were assembled. 

In the mean time the nuns on one side of the 
oratory had retreated to their seats with their 
tapers burning, while those on the other side had 
put theirs out. On the first appearance of the 
procession, a strain of sweet and touching music 
had commenced, w T hich ceased soon after the new 
sister had taken her seat; when one of the 
priests, ascending the pulpit, delivered a sermon, 
which, w T ith the prayers which followed, occupied 
more than an hour. In this sermon, the preacher 
dwelt chiefly upon the advantages of renouncing 
the world, and embracing a religious vocation, 
repeating many times the expression, that Jesus 



98 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Christ had that day taken to himself another 
spouse. 

After the sermon, the new sister was led from 
the oratory by the lady abbess, preceded by two 
little girls bearing lighted tapers; and until her 
return, the time was occupied by a kind of 
chanting, in which the priests and holy sisters 
sung by turns, some of the female voices sounding 
remarkably sweet and soft. 

In the course of half an hour the nun returned, 
dressed in a black robe, again preceded by the 
two children, and led by the lady abbess, who now 
took her seat beside the crucifix, where the nun 
knelt down, and received from her hand a string 
of black beads. While she remained in the same 
attitude, the priest whose office it appeared to be 
to conduct the ceremony, placed upon her head 
the white veil, and gave her a paper in which was 
written her new name, saying at the same time, 

" In the world thou hast been called ; as a 

child of God, thy name is now She then 

rose, and after kissing the lady abbess on both 
cheeks, went round the oratory, and saluted all 
the sisters in the same manner. This performance 
concluded, she seated herself again in the crimson 
chair, when a wreath of roses was placed upon her 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



99 



head. Mass was then said, and the host lifted up 
before the kneeling congregation; after which 
incense was scattered, and the whole ceremony 
concluded. 

We were told, a few days after, that a beautiful 
young creature had on this occasion devoted her- 
self to the church ; but certainly, if one might 
venture to judge by physiognomy, the devotee 
was one of those who have little to sacrifice in 
giving up the world. There was a firmness, a 
hardness, and a determination in the expression 
of her countenance, well suited to the austerities 
of a convent. With regard to the general at- 
tractions of the scene, I certainly left the chapel 
more than ever convinced, that ceremonies of this 
kind can offer nothing seductive to a mind in the 
slightest degree impressed with the true spirituality 
of religion. Nor is this conviction weakened in 
its force on reflecting more seriously upon the mock 
sacrifice by which the heart is thus deluded into 
a belief of its devotion to God ; while its highest 
faculties, and its best affections, are withdrawn 
from the sphere of duty which He has so wisely 
appointed. 

I have already spoken of the Sabbath day at 
Pau. Unpleasant as it unquestionably is in some 
respects, in others it affords advantages not to be 
f2 



100 



SUMMEIl AND WINTER 



met with elsewhere in this part of France. For 
some years the English residents and visitors have 
been favoured with the ministerial labours of pious 
and excellent clergymen, by whom Divine worship 
has been regularly performed twice every Sunday. 
Three or four years ago, ground was purchased by 
the Duchess of Gordon in an airy and eligible part 
of the town, for the erection of a Protestant church, 
which is now nearly completed. It is a neat and 
strongly-built edifice, the upper part forming a 
commodious place for public worship for the 
English and French Protestants, while the lower 
part is already appropriated to the purpose of 
school-rooms for French Protestant children, and 
apartments for the master and mistress. The 
expense of this building has been defrayed by the 
munificence of the Duchess of Gordon, and by the 
contributions of the English resorting to this place. 

In the mean time the Protestant worship in 
Pau has been held in a large room adjoining a 
grocer's shop in one of the principal streets; and 
the room, though capable of containing nearly two 
hundred persons, has generally been found much 
too small for the numbers who would gladly attend. 

The English morning service on the Sunday 
commences at eleven o'clock, and the afternoon at 
four. There is also a missionary meeting held 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



1C1 



once every month, in furtherance of the objects of 
the Church Missionary Society. Besides these 
services, the excellent clergyman, the Rev. J. 
Ridgeway, who has officiated in English for the 
last three years, holds a weekly Bible class at his 
own house, for the instruction of the juvenile 
members of his congregation. 

The building for public worship, now nearly 
completed, is designed for the use both of the 
French and the English. At present, the religious 
services amongst the small number of French 
Protestants here, are held in the same room as 
that in which the English meet, and at the house 
of the truly pious and benevolent French pastor, 
the Rev. L. J. Buscarlet. There is preaching in 
French in the public room every Sunday, at two 
o'clock, when the congregation frequently exceeds 
one hundred persons. Besides this, religious 
meetings in French are held at the minister's 
house in the morning and evening of the Sabbath ; 
on one evening in the week ; and there is a 
meeting for prayer in French and English every 
Thursday at noon. 

There are about two hundred Protestants in 
Pau, of whom forty are communicants. The 
stipend of the minister, as w r ell as the mainten- 
ance of the instructors in the schools, is provided 



102 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



by the Societe Evangelique de France, an institu- 
tion worthy of every encouragement, and possess- 
ing strong claims on the sympathy and support of 
more favoured portions of the Christian church. 

There are at present about sixty children in the 
schools, of whom twenty are girls. The minister 
receives from the Society 1500 francs, or about 
£60 per annum; the schoolmaster about £40, 
and the schoolmistress £32 ; and the subscrip- 
tions of the English visitors at Pau supply nearly 
half this amount. In the year 1839, these dona- 
tions, aided by a bazaar, amounted to a sum equal 
to the entire expenditure. At present, the local 
contributions to a considerable amount have been 
appropriated to the purpose of fitting up the 
newly-erected school-rooms. 

At the house of the estimable minister, there is 
a good depository of Bibles and Testaments, with 
tracts and larger books on religious subjects in 
French and Spanish, from which those who are 
desirous of diffusing the knowledge of Divine 
truth, may supply themselves with the means. 

With the commendable desire of interesting his 
congregation in the progress of Christianity in 
different parts of the world, Mr. Buscarlet has a 
missionary prayer meeting at his house on the 
first Monday of every month. Mr. Ellis has had 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



103 



great pleasure in attending these meetings, and in 
giving to the people there assembled, some account 
of the missions of the London Society, particularly 
those to the South Seas. At Orthez, where there 
are said to be eighteen hundred Protestants, there 
exists a deep interest in the missionary operations 
of Christians from this country, increased, no 
doubt, by the fact of one of the most valuable 
French missionaries in South Africa, Mr. Casalis, 
having gone from that town, where his family 
still reside. 

The Protestants of Orthez had sent once or 
twice to invite Mr. Ellis to pay them a visit ; and 
in the month of February he accompanied Mr. 
Buscarlet to that ancient town, once the seat of a 
college for the education of Protestant ministers. 
Mr. Ellis was received kindly by Mr. Gabriac, 
the pastor of the church, and with the most 
friendly hospitality by Mr. Raclus, a pious minis- 
ter who labours in the neighbourhood. During 
the forenoon he walked out to the lower part of 
the town, to see the ancient and picturesque 
bridge, which spans the deep and rapid waters of 
the Gave, and afterwards visited the ruined tower 
of the venerable chateau built by one of the 
counts of Foix. This spot commands an extensive 
view of the ground where the battle between the 



104 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Duke of Wellington and Marshal Soult was 
fought on the 27th of February, 1814. It was 
in the same month when Mr. Ellis beheld it. 
The morning was then fine, the country verdant, 
and the fields already rich in promise of the 
coming harvest ; while the serenity and cheerful- 
ness of nature formed a strong contrast with what 
the same scene must have presented on that me- 
morable day. 

In the afternoon, Mr. Ellis addressed an as- 
sembly of about three hundred in the church, 
which is a substantial edifice ; and in the evening 
attended a meeting held at the house of Madame 
Casalis, the widowed mother of the missionary 
already mentioned ; and as Mr. Ellis had had the 
pleasure of seeing her son when, some time after 
taking leave of his native place, he visited London, 
in his way to Africa, and had also accompanied 
him to the ship in which he was to sail, the mother 
and her amiable family were deeply interested in 
hearing all that could be told of one so distant and 
so dear. 

In the department of the Lower Pyrenees, there 
are about twelve Protestant congregations; but, 
with the exception of those at Orthez and Salies, 
they are most of them small ; though it is hoped 
they are increasing here, as well as in other parts 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



of France. The pastors of the consistorial churches 
and the professors of the colleges, are all paid by 
the government, the stipends of the pastor being 
regulated by the population of the places in which 
they labour. The highest stipend is 3000 francs, 
or £120; that of the second class is 2000, or £80: 
of the third or lowest, 1500, or £60. The total 
amount paid by the French government to Pro- 
testant ministers in 1889-40, was £13,000; while 
to the Catholic priests, the scale of whose stipend 
is about the same as many of the Protestants, 
the government paid during the same period 
£1,100,000. Besides providing the buildings for 
worship, and paying the stipends of the ministers, 
the local authorities furnish a residence for the 
minister, or allow a sum for that purpose. In 
Pau 500 francs per annum are allowed to each 
of the Catholic priests for lodgings. 

In addition to the ministers of the consistorial 
churches, the Societe Evangelique has a number 
of faithful and devoted men labouring in almost 
every part of the country. 

There are seven professors and about seventy 
students at the establishment for educating Pro- 
testant ministers at Montauban. The reformed 
church of France now numbers ninety consistoires, 
comprising about four hundred pastors, and about 
f 3 



106 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



nine hundred lay elders. It is an encouraging 
fact, that during the last year, their church has 
opened not less than fifteen new places of worship. 

Those visitors at Pau who feel pleasure in visiting 
the schools, and affording encouragement to the 
efforts now made, amidst many difficulties, for 
promoting religious education and piety amongst 
the people, can scarcely fail to become more 
interested in the prosperity of the institution by 
which these efforts are sustained. 

The Societe Evangelique de France is con- 
ducted by gentlemen of benevolence and piety. 
It has existed about eight years, and has, during 
that period, exercised a limited, but truly 
beneficial influence, in several of the most im- 
portant departments of France. It has opened 
places of worship, or stationed ministers, in not 
fewer than thirty towns and cities. Schools have 
been established, or supported, in twenty places, 
in which 1600 scholars are receiving instruction. 
Sixty-eight colporteurs have been employed by 
the same institution, who hare left amongst the 
people they have visited 14,000 copies of the Holy 
Scriptures. These, and other operations of this 
useful society, are sustained entirely by the volun- 
tary contributions of its friends. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



107 



CHAPTER V. 

EXCURSIONS — LOUVIE NAY — EAUX CHAUDES. 

The weather in the early part of our stay at 
Pau being so particularly mild and pleasant, we 
found it difficult to confine our walks and rides to 
the immediate neighbourhood of the town. The 
mountains which looked so beautiful in the distance, 
perpetually invited us to a nearer acquaintance; 
and, although frequently told that no one thought 
of visiting them before the months of May or 
June, we determined to make the experiment at a 
much earlier period ; but not without first attempt- 
ing a sort of exploratory excursion to Louvie, a 
small town situated at the foot of the snowy moun- 
tains, and rather more than half way to Eaux 
Bonnes and Eaux Chaudes. 

It was early in the month of February, that we 
set out one morning to make this excursion, a 
party of four on horseback, prepared for a ride of 
thirty miles. The morning was most propitious — 
bright, but sufficiently cold to render exercise agree* 



108 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



able, and as we passed the old bridge of sis arches, 
which stretches over the river Gave, the vine- 
covered hills rose before us in all the dewy fresh- 
ness of early spring. At the termination of this 
bridge, one enters the Commune of Jurangon, to 
which belong the numerous groups of houses ex- 
tending from the river to the foot of the hills. 
By the side of the road there is still standing a 
cross, called the "cross of the Prince," which 
derives its name from the circumstance of Louis 
XIII. in company with the nobles of his court, 
having knelt before one erected on this spot, at the 
time when he visited Beam for the purpose of 
re-establishing the Roman Catholic religion. 

Juran^on, which forms so beautiful a picture 
from the Pare, is scarcely less attractive when you 
pass near the shade of its umbrageous trees, some 
of the finest which this country affords. They are 
chiefly oaks, and they cover a wide space of ground 
appropriated to rural sports, to the village dance, 
and, on particular occasions, to the performance of 
plays, sometimes those of Corneille and Racine, 
the female parts being sustained by the young men 
of the village. Whenever I have visited this place, 
however, I have found it occupied in a very differ- 
ent manner — by immense herds of swine, the 
property of the neighbouring farmers, who place 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



109 



them under the care of one herdsman, by whom 
they are driven to feed upon the acorns beneath 
these trees. 

Leaving Juran^on to our right, we pursued our 
way along the valley which looks so tempting from 
the Pare, terminating in the Pic du Midi, and 
forming one of the principal routes by which Spain 
is entered from this part of France. 

After Jurangon the next village is Gan, formerly 
celebrated for its mineral spring, now little fre- 
quented. Beyond its general aspect of antiquity, 
it offers little to attract the stranger's eye, and 
we were glad to hasten on and to leave behind 
us the long straight road by which it is ap- 
proached ; especially as we found, soon after passing 
this village, that our route was becoming more 
varied, and that the little limpid river Neez, which 
we had seen meandering through the fields, was 
likely to become more intimately our companion 
by the way. 

We now perceived that we were entering a 
wilder and more picturesque region ; for the range 
of vine-clad hills which skirt the valley of the 
Gave, extend to the southward until they blend 
with the Pyrenees, gradually exchanging their 
chateaux for the humbler dwellings of the peasants, 
and their vineyards for the barren rocks, or wastes 



110 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



of untrodden snow. Our view was now becoming 
more closely bounded by the sides of abrupt and 
rugged hills, leaving little more than the excellent 
road over which we travelled, and the now turbu- 
lent stream beside it, to occupy the valley between. 

The river in this part of our ride, reminded us 
of the Wharf at Bolton Abbey, in Yorkshire, and 
there are many places where it chafes and struggles 
through the rocks, like the Strid, of fatal celebrity. 
But we wanted the green smooth turf which 
stretches along the banks of the Wharf ; for here 
all was more rugged, and more wild ; though, as a 
proof of the wide difference between this climate 
and our own, the hill sides were still covered with 
vines. 

As the day advanced, it proved to be one of the 
clearest of the many we had enjoyed, with a sun 
that lighted every thing into life and beauty. 
There was, as usual, not a breath of wind, though 
the rush of the rapid stream, and the pace at which 
we travelled, gave to the air sufficient freshness. 
All was still, above and around us, except the pure 
wild torrent beside our path, and the vine dressers, 
who were busy at their work, and whose voices 
echoed from hill to hill. Here and there a peak of 
purest snow was beginning to be visible beyond 
the frowning crags above us, with which were con- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



Ill 



trasted the vivid green of the patches of young 
flax in the valley, and the bright box, and fern, 
and ivy, that hung in rich profusion amongst the 
rocks. 

At one part of the road, we turned aside to see 
the source of the river Neez, which wells out of 
the solid rock, at once a considerable stream. We 
did not, however, lose this pleasant kind of com- 
panionship, for we soon found ourselves tracing 
the course of another river, from whose banks we 
were only occasionally separated by rising ground. 

We had lost sight of the mountains soon after 
leaving Gan, but the increasing freshness and cold- 
ness of the air, as well as the boldness and height of 
the crags above our heads, indicated our approach 
to their vicinity; and at the little village of Re- 
benac, we again beheld a wider extent of moun- 
tainous scenery, though still the Pic remained 
hidden from our view. On an eminence a little 
above this village, and commanding an extensive 
view, a noble mansion is pointed out as the resi- 
dence of a family, one of the members of which 
has been distinguished for his elegant translation 
of Homer. 

The road to this place, from its great variety, 
had appeared to me rather long ; and I confess I 
began to fear, either that we should never find the 



112 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



mountains, or that the view of the Valley of 
Qssau, of which some of my companions had 
spoken with so much enthusiasm, would end in 
disappointment. It was not long, however, before 
we ascended a steep hill, from which much was to 
be hoped, and passing through the village of Se- 
vignac, we came at once upon a scene that would 
have richly repaid us, had our journey been ten 
times the length it w r as. 

Immediately before us, to the southward, w as the 
vista of crags and mountains I had so often con- 
templated at a greater distance, now magnified in 
their grandeur and sublimity, with the giant Pic 
rising in sovereign majesty above them all; while 
farther to the right and left, were mountains loftier 
still, whose rugged masses were now clothed in 
virgin snow. But what to me gave the whole 
scene a character of the highest sublimity, was the 
aspect and colouring of the nearer mountains, on 
one side sloping down into the valley with a long 
bold outline, on the other almost perpendicular, 
except that here and there they were broken into 
stupendous masses of dark rock ; — on one side 
clothed in a rich haze of purple and gold, which 
just left visible the pine forests on their summits, 
and the villages, and crags, and chestnut woods 
along their sides, and at their feet; while on 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



113 



the other fell the clear light of that magnificent 
sunshine, which brought out to view all their jutting 
promontories, and even the glittering box with 
which they were so richly crowned ; while imme- 
diately below the eminence on which we stood for 
a long time to gaze, lay a wide and fertile valley, 
watered by a broad clear river, and enlivened by 
innumerable villages and hamlets, stretching as far 
as the eye could reach, at the foot of the moun- 
tains, and along the different openings amongst 
the lower hills. 

Nor was the scene, in some of its wildest fea- 
tures, a distant one. One of the perpendicular 
mountains to the left, rose immediately from the 
path on which we rode, so that we quenched our 
thirst with the icicles which hung from the rocks; 
while the sun still shone so brightly upon us, that 
we were sometimes glad to find a shelter from its 
beams. This, then, was the entrance to the valley 
of Ossau — the "valley where the bears come 
down" — the valley where Henry IV. used to come 
to chase these monsters of the wild — the valley 
whose inhabitants have scarcely been rivalled by 
those of any other country, for their industrious 
hardihood, and for the bold independence with 
which from time immemorial they have defended 
their property and their rights. 



114 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



We had seen at different times in the neighbour- 
hood of Pau, a few stray specimens of the figure 
and costume of the peasants of this valley; but 
here we beheld for the first time, these hardy 
mountaineers amidst their native wilds. And a 
noble looking race they are, somewhat taller than 
the peasantry around Pau, with more vigorous 
complexions, and dressed in a costume at once 
more primitive and more picturesque. They 
wear the same round cap or bonnet of brown 
cloth, but their black and flowing hair is always 
cut close in front, and left to hang loose upon their 
shoulders. They most commonly wear a jacket of 
brown cloth, sometimes one of red, and a scarlet or 
crimson sash tied about the body. On no occasion 
are they seen with trousers, but always breeches of 
brown cloth, and worsted stockings of the same 
colour, and of their own knitting, not made with feet, 
but finished off by a kind of wide border of the 
same material, which hangs down over the great 
wooden shoe, made in ikie shape of a canoe, only 
more curved underneath, and more turned up at 
the toe. In addition to this, they generally have, 
somewhere about them, their wide woollen cloak, 
with its pointed hood. The shepherds are always 
accompanied by a dog, of a kind peculiar to the 
Pyrenees, as large as the Newfoundland dog, but 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



115 



more like a wolf in shape, and always white, with 
a mixture of buff, or wolfish grey. 

These dogs, though large and powerful, have 
the appearance of being gentle and docile, from 
their being thin, and badly fed; but that they have 
a disposition to be otherwise, I can testify, having 
been twice seized by them, and having also heard 
of many instances in which they were the terror of 
the neighbourhood. Mr. Ellis met one day on the 
same road we were travelling, with a very commu- 
nicative priest, who told him that he always rode 
with pistols, to defend himself from these dogs; 
and not long after our arrival at Pau, an animal of 
this description was the cause of a sudden and 
much lamented death. It was that of a young 
French officer, whose horse took fright at one of 
these large dogs rushing out, as they always do, 
without a moment's warning. The rider was dashed 
to the ground, and his head pitching on a stone, he 
was killed on the spot. He was aid-de-camp to a 
general residing in the place, and engaged to be 
married to his daughter. His funeral was the most 
solemn we have witnessed, being conducted with 
military discipline, and attended by all the officers, 
amongst whom he was much respected. 

Perhaps the most singular feature in the cha- 
racter of the shepherd's dog of the Pyrenees, is, 



116 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



that like his master, he always leads, instead of 
driving the sheep. ' He is brought up entirely 
amongst them, and sleeps in the same fold. It 
is a curious sight to see the shepherd and his dog 
coming first out of a field, and the flock following. 
The sheep are more slender and taller than ours, 
with thick curled horns, and long fine wool ; while 
the singularity of a long face, with a kind of 
Roman nose, makes them look particularly solemn. 

On arriving at the inn at Louvie, situated by the 
side of the river which waters the valley, we were 
somewhat disconcerted to find a scarcity of pro- 
vision, the season being much too early for visitors 
to be expected, and the trout in the river, which 
are said to be excellent, not choosing that day to 
be caught. With appetites sharpened by the keen 
mountain air, we were obliged to be satisfied with 
a promise of eggs and bacon, which are as fre- 
quently met with here, as in any of the dales of 
Yorkshire ; and while this repast was preparing, we 
walked to a little village on the left side of the 
river, situated amongst a group of hills, or rather 
scattered rocks, on the summit of one of which, 
stand the ruins of an ancient castle, now called 
Castel Geloos. As the valley derives its name 
from the two latin words ursi saltus, this edifice was 
formerly called Castellum Ursalticum. It was the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



117 



residence of the Viscounts of Ossau, at the time 
when the valley formed a little state independent 
of Bearn. And it was here that the Bearnais sove- 
reigns, in later times, used to receive the oaths of 
the Ossalois, on occasions when they came to 
render justice in their state. 

Near this place is an ancient church, much 
celebrated for its beautiful columns of marble. It 
is related of these columns, that Henry IV. finding 
nothing to equal them in Paris, wrote to request 
the inhabitants of the village to give up the pos- 
session of them to him. Their answer w T as a 
remarkable one, and truly characteristic of the 
people : — " Sire, our hearts and our property are 
yours, dispose of them as you will ; but, as regards 
the columns, they belong to God. Entendez-vous-en 
avec lid" 

While resting on one of the little craggy hills 
near the ruins of Castel Geloos, with the majestic 
Pic du Midi before us, — the mountains veiled in 
purple haze to our right, — the perpendicular 
heights to our left, — the old castle in the fore- 
ground, — and the river winding at our feet, we 
were all struck with the peculiar adaptation of the 
scene to all that an artist requires ; and I only 
regret that no one seems to have made choice of 
this particular spot. 



118 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



On returning again to the inn at Louvie, which 
cannot certainly be recommended either for its 
cleanliness or comfort, we found that the chicken 
which was to be added to our dinner, had but just 
received its death stroke. Chicken, however, it 
was not; for when, in the short space of a quarter 
of an hour it was placed upon the table, its sinewy- 
structure might have defied the eagerness of appe- 
tites even less fastidious than ours; and we were 
obliged to content ourselves with a dinner of eggs 
and bacon, at an enormous charge, not having 
taken the precaution to bargain for our fare before- 
hand, which is always necessary in travelling in 
this country. On remonstrating with the mistress 
of the house on the disproportion of her dinner 
and her charge, and referring to the uneatable 
nature of her chicken, she coolly replied, with the 
usual French shrug, that it was no fault of hers, 
that she did not make the chicken. 

It was a beautiful evening when we returned to 
Pau, the sky without a cloud, and the air sharpened 
by a slight tendency to frost. Such indeed had 
been the weather almost every day since the time of 
our arrival. Though perfectly calm, it was never 
sultry, for on turning immediately out of the sunshine 
into the shade, the contrast was so great, as always to 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



119 



produce a sensation like that of washing the hands 
and face in cold water on a hot summer's day. 
The only time when the air was oppressive, was 
during the prevalence of a south, or Spanish wind; 
but as these winds seldom continue more than a 
day, and are then succeeded by rain, they are not 
much to be complained of. There is usually in 
the early part of the spring, a month or more of 
almost constant wet. This year was an exception. 
There had been, on our arrival at Pau, twenty- 
eight days without a drop of rain ; and as the 
weather had become much colder by the end of 
February, and there had only once or twice been 
rain enough to lay the dust, vegetation was 
unusually backward, and the public roads by no 
means in an agreeable state. 

We had sufficient experience of this, in an ex- 
cursion we made during the first week of March, 
to the little town of Nay, situated about ten miles 
from Pau, at the foot of the mountains higher up 
the course of the river. By some mischance we 
had chosen the day previous to one of the great 
fairs held at Pau, for the sale of horses, mules, and 
other cattle ; and as the country towards Nay is 
amongst the richest in agricultural produce, we 
had the full benefit of finding the dust already set 



120 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



in motion by hundreds of busy peasants, who 
hastened on their way to the place of general 
rendezvous. 

Besides the people of Beam, these fairs 
are the resort of numbers of Spaniards, whose 
trade with this country consists chiefly in mules, 
with droves of which animals, the roads at such 
times are thronged. They are generally beautiful 
creatures, their price averaging from 300 to 700 
francs ; and the Spaniards by whom they are 
accompanied, are the most striking and picturesque 
objects I have ever seen. The usual dress of 
these men is a printed cotton handkerchief tied 
close round the head, over which they sometimes 
wear an enormous hat, with a wide brim curled up 
all round; while the better order have a hat of 
black velvet with the same broad brim, and a 
conical crown, ornamented with bands of velvet, 
and tufts of silk fringe. Their jackets are usually 
of blue or purple velvet, or plush, their small- 
clothes of the same material, with a silk sash, 
and often a thick roll of cloth or linen wrapped 
round their loins. Their stockings are curiously 
knitted, blue or white, and they wear veritable 
sandals, laced round the leg up to the calf. 
Some of the mule drivers have the animal on 
which they ride caparisoned in a kind of crimson 



IN THE PYRENEES. 121 

cloth, from which is suspended a long rich fringe 
with tassels of silk. They are for the most part, 
however, an abject-looking, lean, and haggard 
set of people, with thin sharp features, small dark 
eyes, and invariably frizzled brown hair. Still there 
is something commanding in their gait and atti- 
tude, so that you may know them to be Spaniards 
at a distance, partly from the custom they adopt 
of always wearing something slung over one shoul- 
der, in the fashion of a mantle; and even when 
this is nothing better than a sack, they manage 
to adjust it with a grace. Most of them, however, 
wear a large woollen cloth, made w r ith broad stripes 
of brown, grey, and white ; which mantle is their 
covering by day, and their bed at night. 

Resides these men who cross the frontier for the 
purposes of trade, there are many Spanish families 
residing in Pau, who have been compelled, from 
the state of their country, or from the nature of 
their own political sentiments, to seek refuge there ; 
many who are reduced from a high station in 
society to live in comparative poverty, and others 
of the same rank who make a scanty livelihood by 
giving lessons in their own language. 

But to return to our journey to Nay. I had 
anticipated a pleasant ride along the banks of the 
river, at the foot of the vine-tufted hills ; but we 

G 



122 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



found, to our disappointment, that the road led us 
along a complete flat, and was hemmed in by high 
walls or houses, which form, through this populous 
district, an almost continued line of villages, 
extending to the town of Nay, before entering 
which, we crossed the Gave by a long wooden 
bridge, supported on piles of stone. 

This little town, still remarkable for the industry 
of its inhabitants, was once a place of very consi- 
derable trade in the manufacture and export of 
woollen goods, of the robes worn by the priests, of 
the brown cloth caps of the country, and of bonnets 
Grecs* destined for the coiffures of the orientals; 
but chiefly of flannels, twenty thousand pieces 
of which it is said to have exported annually 
before the revolution. Little trace of this flou- 
rishing state of things is now remaining, except 
in the groups of women and children, who ply 
their busy needles in knitting flat bonnets of thick 
worsted, which look extremely durable. There is, 
however, a manufactory of excellent flour, which 
supplies the neighbouring districts. To us, the whole 
place, almost overshadowed as it is by the neigh- 
bouring mountains, wore an aspect of stillness and 
gloom ; for though the day was bright and clear, 
the long lines of colonnades, composed of rude and 
heavy masonry, under the shade of which the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



123 



people were sitting at their work, gave a sombre 
and sepulchral character to the general appearance 
of the streets. Nor were our impressions rendered 
more agreeable by finding that we must dine in 
the bedroom of a dirty inn, the entrance of which 
was open to the stable, filled with horses, probably 
on their way to the fair. 

Our object in visiting Nay, w r as chiefly that of 
seeing the Protestant minister stationed there, an 
interesting and excellent man, whose situation 
claims the sympathy of all whose best feelings are 
engaged in the cause to which he has devoted 
himself. He was originally destined for a Roman 
Catholic priest, and received his education pre- 
paratory to assuming this office. Subsequently, 
however, he, and several members of his family, 
became, about the same time, convinced of their 
error ; and having openly espoused the Protestant 
faith, have ever since endured the persecution and 
contempt of their Roman Catholic neighbours; 
especially the minister, whose situation is such, 
that on one occasion, when he wished to hire a 
house for his family, not a single proprietor of the 
place would allow him one to live in. He was, 
therefore, under the necessity of purchasing such a 
habitation as his means were equal to ; and though 
it is an old place, with only one little chimney, 
g 2 



124 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and no glass window, it had, on the day we saw it, 
an aspect of neatness and comfort far beyond that 
of many nobler mansions. 

In his office of Protestant minister, he now 
receives annually from his little congregation, a 
sum not exceeding <£28, on which his family, con- 
sisting of a wife and eight children, are supported. 
We had the privilege of seeing this worthy woman, 
surrounded by her little flock; and truly their 
contented cheerfulness, and their unmurmuring 
resignation, are well calculated to teach a lesson 
long to be remembered. The mother and the 
oldest daughter, a sweet-looking girl of fifteen, and 
in this country a little woman, — both wore the 
common head-dress of the country, and were in all 
respects dressed with the most unpretending sim- 
plicity. By way of adding to their slender means, 
they employ themselves in many humble occupa- 
tions, the mother often going out to wash and iron. 
Would that some of the discontented wives and 
daughters of other lands could have been with me, 
and have seen their smiling faces, their humble 
dress, their uncarpeted floors, with the general 
aspect of order and neatness, which in this country 
is the more to be admired, from its extreme 
rarity. 

After visiting the pastor's family, we went to 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



125 



see his little church, or "temple," as the Protest- 
ant places of worship are called in France. We 
had been told that it would be of no use leaving 
tracts amongst the people of Nay ; for some of our 
friends who had done so, had seen, before they left 
the place, the same parties amongst whom the 
tracts had been distributed, throwing them into a 
blazing fire, which they had lighted for the pur- 
pose of showing the visitors in what way their 
gifts were esteemed. Such is the spirit prevailing 
in the town where this faithful and undaunted 
minister still continues to uphold the standard of 
truth, " persecuted, but not forsaken, — cast down, 
but not destroyed." 

The town of Nay is beautifully situated, though 
it has the appearance of being a little too closely 
hemmed in between the river and the mountains 
which rise immediately above it with peculiar gran- 
deur. It was in pursuing our walk a little w T ay 
above the town, from a situation commanding an 
extensive view of the fertile tract of country called 
the " garden of Beam," that our conductor pointed 
out to us the ancient castle of Coarraze, more 
interesting than all others associated with the 
memory of Henry IV., from its having been the 
scene of his youthful sports, as well as the situation 
where he enjoyed the advantages of that rational 



12b 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and vigorous training to which none but a noble- 
minded mother like Jeanne d'Albret, would have 
entrusted a princely son. 

When first taken from the hands of his nurse, 
he was committed to the care of Suzanne de Bour- 
bon Busset, baroness de Miossens, a woman dis- 
guished for her many virtues and high intelligence; 
and in order to carry out with better effect the 
system of education which the queen had adopted 
for her son, he was sent, with his governess, to this 
remote situation ; where the purest air, the sim- 
plest diet, and the most natural exercise, could be 
enjoyed without the interruption of courtly visitors, 
or affairs of state. The directions of Jeanne d'Albret 
were, that the future monarch should be trained 
like a child of the mountaineers ; and, faithful to 
her important trust, the baroness exercised over 
her pupil a discipline resembling that of a Spartan 
mother. He was treated like the children of the 
village, was clothed in the same dress, and par- 
took of their enjoyments and their sports. His 
food was often the same dry bread; he wore the 
bonnet of the peasants, the same kind of woollen 
vest, — trod the mountain paths with bare feet, — 
fought not unfrequently with his little comrades, — 
and excelled in many of their favourite games. 
For many years of his life he knew no other 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



127 



language than the patois of Beam, and this know- 
ledge contributed much in after life to endear him 
to the people of this country. It is said of him, 
that a bon-mot or a lively sally in his maternal 
language, was one of the most powerful means of 
influence he could employ over the young men 
whom he led to the conquest of Paris; and whom, 
by a happy repartee, couched in their native 
tongue, he could beguile into forge tfulness of all 
their fatigues. 

Situated a little higher than the hamlet of 
Coarraze, and about the distance of two leagues 
from the village, is still shown a house, which 
the prince was accustomed frequently to visit. It 
w r as occupied by a family of labourers, of the 
name of Gestas, now extinct. When the young 
prince was obliged to quit Coarraze to return to 
the chateau of Pau, he requested these friends 
of his infancy to inform him in what he could 
benefit them, or give them pleasure. They replied 
with the true simplicity of peasants, that their 
only ambition was to be allowed to pay their tithe 
in grain, and to preserve the straw. What a happy 
ignorance is betrayed by this reply, of what the 
world beyond their mountains had to offer ! 

It is recorded, that long after Henry quitted 
this castle, he was in the habit of returning to 



128 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



visit his friends the Gestas, and to follow the chase 
along the mountain paths which he knew so well. 
In order to shorten the way, he was accustomed to 
trace a narrow path along the side of a hill, which 
still retains the name of the road of Henry IV. 
Indeed, the same associations occur at almost every 
step the traveller takes, so fond are the people of 
the country of cherishing the remembrance of their 
"good king." 

Our ride from Nay that evening I shall not soon 
forget. The narrow road was literally thronged 
with peasants returning from the fair, not intoxi 
cated, but just so much excited as to induce them 
to stand in our way, rather than to move out of it , 
while the dust, without a breath of wind, rose in a 
dense cloud, so that we could not see five yards 
before us. Out of this cloud the figures of men, 
women, carts, oxen, and mules, came darkening upon 
us, before we could be aware of them; like the 
figures shown by a magic lantern, growing as they 
came. And when I add to this, that the horns of 
the cattle are extremely wide — that the horses in 
harness wear collars branching out at each side 
into a wide frame, through the ends of which the 
reins are drawn, — and that the mules, the only 
malicious animals in the country, will often go con- 
siderably out of their way to kick at a passer by, — 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



129 



the difficulties of our situation may be in some 
degree understood. Happily, we reached home 
without either doing or receiving any very serious 
mischief. 

A few days after our journey to Nay, we set off 
again to the mountains, intending to visit Eaux 
Chaudes, and if possible to penetrate as far as the 
Pic du Midi de Pau. We were a party of three, 
were to travel on horseback, and having this time 
a journey of twenty-five miles before us, into an 
unknown land, it was necessary to be stirring early 
in the day. When I first looked out, it was upon 
one of those grey mornings which might be either 
rainy or fair; and I confess the length of the ride, 
and the accounts we heard about the frequent 
changes of the weather, and other accidents 
amongst the mountains, to say nothing of the 
wolves and bears, made me almost wish I could 
see a few drops of rain upon the stones, to justify 
my giving the matter up. No such appearance, 
however, could I discover ; and my companions, 
who were in high spirits, having announced that 
the horses were at the door, I went down, pre- 
pared to put the best face I could upon the under- 
taking. 

Nor was my effort greater than the occasion 
demanded, when I looked at the horses. I have 
g 3 



130 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



said that the horses commonly used in Pau are all 
bad; but as the people are not very willing to let 
them out for so long a journey, ours, instead of 
being the best, were the worst amongst the bad. 
Mine had been bought at the fair the day before, 
and was guiltless of ever having tasted corn. It had 
shaggy feet that swept the ground, and a long tail 
dwindling off to a single hair, besides being of a 
sandy colour. They were all, according to the cus- 
tom of the country, wrapped about their heads and 
necks with a quantity of tackling; for when you 
expect to stop at any place, you must take with 
you the fastening for your horse, there being no 
such things in the stables ; you must also look 
well to it, that what you take is not exchanged for 
trapping of a worse description, leaving you to 
make good the loss to the owner of the horse. 

The morning, as I said before, was grey and 
cloudy ; but as we rode along, the vapours rolled 
away from one snowy peak and then another, and 
as my steed carried me much better than I had 
expected, the day seemed to promise much enjoy- 
ment. Our route as far as Louvie has been 
already described. On arriving at this place, we 
were joined by another party of our friends ; and, 
having this time made our bargain beforehand, 
and the trout also condescending to be caught, we 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



131 



made a plentiful breakfast, after the fashion of 
the country, beginning with bread, wine, trout, 
potatoes fried in fat, a mess of boiled cabbage 
mixed with lard, then eggs and bacon, and lastly, 
coffee. After such a breakfast, no wonder that 
the French constitution is sustained by only one 
more meal during the day. 

About noon the party separated, our friends 
returning to Pau, and we pursuing our journey 
to Eaux Chaudes. I had then a travelling bag 
strapped to the side of my horse ; and as none of 
these animals have anything worth the name of 
shoulder, I had every minute to stretch out a 
heavy riding whip at arm's length, in order to keep 
mine going at any pace more rapid, or more easy, 
than the native trot. 

As we advanced towards the mountains, the 
scene became more bold, precipitous, and wild; 
but still our road lay along a lovely valley, where 
it was curious to see the various agricultural 
operations that were going on. In one place, 
especially, where the valley swells into a wide 
plain, the whole population of a small town ap- 
peared to be at work. There must have been at 
least three hundred people, with a proportion of 
little bullocks, carts, and harrows. The labourers, 
as usual, were chiefly women ; and here they 



132 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



seemed to be a distinct race, wearing a very 
different costume from that of Pau. They were 
all dressed in coarse black cloth, with their heads 
tied up in little red hoods ; but they had brilliant 
and blooming complexions, and all wore around 
their necks a ribbon or cord, from which was 
suspended a glittering cross of gilt, or tinsel, while 
their jet black hair hung loosely about their necks. 
It was curious, too, in one of the villages of 
this valley, where from all appearance one would 
suppose that no head, either of man, woman, or 
child, was ever shorn of its honours, to see a board 
against one of the houses, on which was advertised 
the owner's capability to cut hair "according to 
the latest taste." 

The women above described, were employed 
chiefly in filling sacks with manure, which they 
carried on their heads, and then spread upon the 
land. Some of them also were harrowing, while 
others were sowing broad cast, with the seed in 
their aprons. 

The afternoon was beautifully clear, and the 
declining sun displayed to advantage the many 
mountain peaks, on the north side perfectly white 
with snow, while to the south they were clothed 
with vegetation almost to the highest pinnacles. 
It was one of my amusements to trace out amongst 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



133 



these mountain wilds the many little scraps of 
cultivation which told of the industry of man ; and 
occasionally to see at some far height, w r hich it 
might seem to require a day's journey to ascend, a 
wide plain, on which we could discover the sloping 
roofs of cottages, and the long winding paths from 
one of these mountain hamlets to another. 

At the extremity of the plain through which our 
route lay, and along the side of the same river which 
waters that of Louvie, we saw before us apparently 
nothing but inaccessible heights, or masses of rock, 
which no human foot could climb. It was through 
one of these masses, that the road we had to pass 
had been cut, and here was the frightful gorge of 
which we had so often heard, leading into the 
narrow defile of Eaux Chaudes. As w r e walked 
up the hill which leads to this opening, we often 
stopped to look back upon the bold outlines of 
those we were leaving, and which form the noble 
barrier of the valley of Ossau, through which the 
river winds its serpentine way until lost in the 
distance. On* approaching the highest part of the 
hill we were climbing, a stormy sort of wind 
rushed past us, and we soon found ourselves in a 
narrow gorge, or cleft, through which upon the 
new world that opened before us, we looked down 
bewildered and amazed. There w r as the roar of 



134 



SUM3IER AND WINTER 



rushing waters, too; and at a far depth beneath 
us, lashing its way amongst precipitous rocks, was 
a river, apparently of emerald water, and silver 
foam, which at the depth of four hundred feet 
below this gorge, hurries and buries itself in a 
boiling caldron, enclosed by rocks of the darkest 
purple and brown. 

It is said of a traveller, that in looking into this 
gulf, he exclaimed, " Beautiful horror ! " And the 
impression of awe seems to have been general, for 
here, at the turn of the road, where it begins to 
descend, with this precipice on one side, and a 
perpendicular wall of solid rock .on the other, a 
little chapel, or place of prayer, has been erected, 
containing an image of the Virgin, whose protec- 
tion the traveller is supposed to need in pursuing 
his course further down the valley. 

The narrow defile we were now entering, is 
called the valley of Gabas, and derives its name 
from a little village, which is the last on this route 
before you enter Spain. The word valley, how- 
ever, conveys little idea of the situation or the 
scene ; for the mountains on either side are so near, 
and yet so majestic, that I soon became dizzy 
with looking perpetually on a perpendicular, instead 
of a horizontal surface; and yet they leave space 
for a road by the side of the torrent, so regular 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



135 



and smooth, that it might skirt a gentleman's 
park. 

These mountains are of different structures of 
limestone, sometimes displaying blocks of the 
most beautiful marble, and clothed with a luxu- 
riant drapery of boxwood and fern, — not boxwood 
as we see it in our English gardens, but wild and 
feathery, and often growing to an amazing size* 
Above these, on the far heights, were fields of 
snow, their whiteness broken here and there by 
forests of black pine, which made a fierce and 
bristling outline, at once cold, and desolate, and 
majestic. 

Here, too, we could trace the most miraculous- 
looking paths, appearing and disappearing amongst 
the crags, to tread which, one would suppose that 
man must be more than human. Yet here is 
occasionally heard, breaking the solemn silence, 
the echo of falling timber, and even the voices of 
the woodcutters ; while you see the smoke of the 
charcoal burning, where it seems that the wild 
goat or the wolf alone could exist. And the 
labour of these woodcutters would certainly be use- 
less, were it not for the precipices down which 
they pitch their timber and boxwood, of which you 
frequently see the violent course they have taken 
in descending. 



136 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



From these airy heights the aching sight turns 
gladly to the beautiful river which foams below 
the traveller's feet. Whether it is the marble 
bed over which it flows, or the tinge of the 
boxwood, that gives it a peculiar hue, I am 
unable to say; but its waters, though clear as 
crystal, are of the most brilliant blue and green, 
perpetually broken into foam, so feathery and 
white, as to form an almost magical contrast with 
the sombre colours of their rocky bed. Not only 
in the bed of the torrent, but along the sides of 
the mountains, the rocks are tinged with the richest 
purple and brown, while higher still, when the 
sunshine is full upon them, they glow into every 
tint of orange and yellow, crowned with moss and 
verdure of the brightest green. 

Along this defile we wound our way, past the 
foot of one mountain, and then another, each rising 
like a mighty barrier, bolder and wilder than the 
last, until we came at once upon a little group of 
well-built houses, which we knew to be Eaux 
Chaudes, for "other dwelling there was none." 
After making our bargain at the inn, for beds and 
meals, all which have to be disputed down to the 
lowest sous, we hastened out; for three good hours 
of the day were yet left, and they were not to be 
wasted. Below the hotel, and beside the baths. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



137 



which are said to be excellent, is a narrow bridge 
across the river, from which we entered upon a most 
enchanting path, spacious, and safe for the wan- 
derer's foot, yet almost buried amongst box and 
brushwood, and often diverted from its regular 
course by masses of rock, as well as by the stems 
of venerable oak, and branches of lighter beech 
which stretch towards the stream. This path led 
us to a rustic bridge, consisting of a single arch, 
rudely formed of unhewn stone, and stretching 
over a foaming waterfall, which looks every moment 
as if it would precipitate the little bridge into the 
bed of the river, towards which it hastens at a vast 
depth below. 

Close to this bridge is one of those little water- 
mills which at once attest their primitive origin, 
and the little progress of civilization amongst the 
Pyrenees. They are to be found in all parts of the 
mountains, and often in the most picturesque 
situations, by the side of foaming torrents, whose 
impetuous power bears no proportion to the hum- 
ble structures by their side. They are small 
square buildings of unhewn stone, seldom more 
than ten feet from one gable to the other, while 
one opening for a door, another for a window, and 
an arch beneath, are all the distinctive features 
they present. It is said of the little mill at Eaux 



138 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Chaudes, which so many travellers have had the 
good taste to sketch, that it once afforded shelter 
to Henry IV. and his sister Catherine from the 
terrors of a thunder-storm, which in this moun- 
tainous region are extremely violent. 

Following the path which leads over the bridge, 
and past the mill, we found it took a zigzag 
course, and thus it cheated us up to a vast height, 
from whence we looked down upon some of those 
pitching places for the timber already described. 
We were at a loss to imagine why so good a path 
had been constructed in such a place, but found at 
length that it terminated in a green and cultivated 
plain of great extent, open to the morning sun, 
and sheltered from the north, where a village was 
situated, with some farming establishments of con- 
siderable importance. 

On descending from this height, we heard far 
beneath us, down the side of the mountain, the 
tinkling bells of the herds returning to their home 
for the night ; and we soon saw the stately leader 
of a flock of goats, peering at us past a bush of 
boxwood, before he thought it prudent to conduct 
his followers to an interview with such strange 
intruders. Accompanying the goats was a beauti- 
ful shepherd boy, in the same costume as the 
older peasants, his blooming complexion contrast- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



139 



ing well with the flowing curls of his jet black hair. 
A little lower down we met the sheep returning by 
the same path ; and last of all the cows, each flock 
conducted by these mountain youths, bearing on 
their shoulders a quantity of the green branches of 
the box for their evening fire. 

It was scarcely possible to grow tired in such a 
scene ; but the shades of evening warned us that it 
would be wise to husband our remaining strength 
for the morrow. We therefore returned to the hotel, 
where seated by the glow of a bright wood fire, we 
enjoyed our supper of eggs and bacon ; and though 
the women who waited upon us spoke nothing but 
patois, and could not by any possibility be made 
to understand either spoons or salt, w r e retired to 
rest contented w T ith our fare, and thankful for the 
enjoyment which the first day of our excursion had 
afforded. 

We had already learned that it would be im- 
possible to prosecute our journey to the Pic, the 
way being quite impassable for the snow ; and as 
the weather had become much colder, and there 
were threatenings of a farther change, we had 
decided upon returning to Pau the following day. 
In the morning, when I first looked out, the scene 
was certainly rather appalling, for over the edge of 
the opposite mountain, down to the tops of the 



140 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



houses, the mists were pouring, like the steam of 
some mighty caldron, while a cold sleet was falling 
on the ground. It proved, however, to be nothing 
to hinder our enjoyment; and we walked for three 
hours on the road to Gabas, well pleased to see the 
mountains in their more grand and gloomy aspect. 
It was a scene entirely new to all the party. The 
rocks and ravines looked literally black beneath 
the clouds, which were not so dense, but that one 
mighty peak after another stood out, and seemed 
to frown upon us, as if to overawe the daring steps 
that would intrude upon their awful solitudes. 
The valley, too, becomes much more sterile and 
wild as you proceed, while the stream increases 
in beauty as its course grows more rapid and 
violent, becoming, as you ascend, a succession of 
cascades, sometimes interrupted by enormous rocks, 
at the foot of which it seems tQ sleep in quiet, 
before hurrying down into the foaming basin below, 
Besides this beautiful river, there are innume- 
rable waterfalls down the slope of the mountains 
on either side, sometimes curling smoothly over an 
immense surface of solid rock, and then dashing 
themselves into light and feathery spray, against 
the crags that interrupt their descent. Sometimes 
on turning round a jutting crag, you are startled 
by a hollow roar, and on looking up a dark defile 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



141 



which suddenly opens before you, you see a mighty 
torrent, the course of which no human foot has 
ever tracked; or gliding down beside you, whis- 
pering and murmuring as it goes, you see a 
silver thread extending from the clouds, and far 
above that another, narrower and brighter still, 
from trackless fields of snow. 

It may easily be supposed that we had no 
exclamation, — no adequate response of the full 
heart, for such a scene ; and it is worthy of remark, 
that one of my companions, who has seen as much 
as most travellers of the loveliest aspects of nature, 
and who possesses besides, a more than common 
share of the quick perception of an artist, mingled 
with the deep enthusiasm of a poet, exclaimed more 
than once, " I have never seen any thing like 
this !" He afterwards explained, that though his 
memory was filled with pictures which no time 
could efface, of the verdant, sunny, aerial, and 
almost heavenly aspect of the isles of the Pacific, 
he had never seen before such a combination of 
fertility and gorgeous colouring, with the hoary 
grandeur, the massiveness, and the sublimity which 
we found here. How is it that our artists, who 
have gone far to trample down the verdure of all 
other beautiful places, should have left the Pyre- 
nees comparatively unexplored ? 



142 SUMMER AND WINTER 

The day was far advanced before we were willing 
to recollect that we must retrace our way to Pau 
before night ; but as the weather still looked un- 
favourable, we deemed it best to return; and 
perhaps if the whole truth was told, were not sorry 
to exchange the sharp mountain air, the lifeless 
solitudes, and above all the comfortless abodes of 
Eaux Chaudes, for the milder atmosphere and the 
more social intercourse of Pau. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



143 



CHAPTER VI. 

EARLY HISTORY OF THE TOWN AND CHATEAU OF 

PAU SOVEREIGNS OF NAVARRE HENRY II. AND 

MARGUERITE DE VALOIS JEANNE d'aLBRET 

CRADLE AND BIRTH-PLACE OF HENRY IV. — ESTAB- 
LISHMENT OF PROTESTANTISM IN BEARN CATHE- 
RINE OF NAVARRE HENRY IV. BERNADOTTE 

TRACES OF THE REVOLUTION ILLUSTRIOUS VISIT- 
ORS AT PAU. 

Historians are not exactly agreed respecting 
the origin of the town and chateau of Pau. It is 
the opinion of many, that the latter was built as a 
place of defence against the incursions of the 
Saracens from Spain ; while others, perhaps with 
equal probability, attribute the commencement of 
the town to the following cause. The inhabitants 
of the valley d'Ossau, the rightful proprietors 01 
an extent of still uncultivated land lying north- 
ward of Pau, were accustomed to come down 
from the mountains with their flocks, and crossing 
the Gave at this place, used to drive them to feed 
for the winter, in the wide wastes of the Pont 



144 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Long. It is but reasonable to suppose that the 
woods and waters of the sheltered valley which 
lies immediately at the foot of the castle, would 
offer them a tempting retreat from the storms of 
their mountains on one side, and the comparatively 
barren desert on the other ; and that they would 
thus be induced to erect temporary habitations, 
where they could meet for the exchange of their 
simple merchandise, and where they could also 
talk over their affairs. And if the primitive occu- 
pants of the soil possessed the same gift of speech 
as their descendants, it would be no trifling gratifi- 
cation to have a place of general rendezvous for 
such a purpose. 

With regard to the origin of the chateau, it is 
also said, that the Counts of Morlaas, inhabiting a 
district bordering upon the Pont Long, were in 
the habit of repairing to the valley of the Gave, 
then thickly covered with wood, for the purpose of 
enjoying the pleasures of the chase ; and that the 
edifice which eventually became the chateau, was 
at first a sort of house of pleasance, or place of rest 
for these heroes, after the fatigues of the chase. 

Without presuming to say which of these sup- 
positions is the most correct, or even the most pro- 
bable, it is sufficiently evident that the chateau has 
been built at separate times, some portions of its 



IN THE PYRENEES 



145 



architecture differing very materially in structure 
and design from others. Nor does there remain 
the least doubt that one part of the chateau, a high 
square tower of enormous strength and magnitude, 
was erected by Gaston Phoebus X., one of the 
Counts of Foix, a part of whose name, with the 
addition of me fe, still remaining inscribed in 
gothic characters at the side of the arms of the 
house of Foix, upon the outside wall of this tower. 

It was the same Gaston de Foix of whom 
Froissart speaks so often as one of his favourite 
heroes ; a man who was no less noble in his bear- 
ing, than daring in his exploits ; equally celebrated 
for his learning, and for the munificence of his 
gifts, yet possessing the enviable art of keeping his 
coffers filled, without oppressing his people. It is 
said of him, that his love of literature and poetry 
was scarcely surpassed by his passion for good 
cheer, and for the pleasures of the chase. His 
meute, or pack, consisted of 16,000 dogs; and it was 
in one of his excursions amongst the mountains, 
in chase of the wolves and the bears, that he first 
discovered the apparently miraculous virtues of 
the Eaux Bonnes, in memory of which discovery, 
he gave the name of the Montagne de Tresor to 
one of the lofty summits which overlook the source 
of these waters. 

ii 



146 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



There is also another portion of the chateau, 
which was erected by Gaston XL, whose name 
has been rendered illustrious by the circumstances 
which followed his marriage with the daughter of 
the king of Navarre and Aragon. As a recom- 
pense for his valour and fidelity in assisting his 
father-in-law to subdue his rebellious subjects, he 
received the noble gift of the sovereignty of Na- 
varre, by which means, his own provinces of Beam 
and Foix were united under the name of these 
kingdoms. In the year 1460, he established him- 
self at Pau, and neglecting nothing which belonged 
to the dignity of a king, enlarged and embellished 
the chateau, at the same time surrounding it with 
beautiful gardens, of which a part is still preserved 
under the name of the Pare. 

This royal gift, however, remained not long in 
the hands of the princes of Beam, for in the year 
1512, Jean d'Albret II., then sovereign of Navarre, 
was excommunicated by Pope Julius II. as an ad- 
herent to the council of Pisa, his kingdom being 
declared forfeited, and offered to the first who 
would seize it. Of this licence, Ferdinand of 
Spain gladly availed himself, taking possession of 
High Navarre, or the portion which lay south of 
the Pyrenees, and leaving to the excommunicated 
Jean that portion only which lay to the north, and 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



147 



which is now recognised under the name of 
Beam. 

These circumstances were not calculated to bias 
the king of Navarre in favour of the Church of 
Rome ; but it was not until the reign of Henry d'Al- 
bret II., when Luther's opinions became generally 
promulgated, that any open opposition was shown. 

In the year 1527, this prince was united by 
marriage to Marguerite of Valois, sister of Francis 
I. king of France, a princess justly described as 
being " learned and polite, beautiful, soft, and as 
compassionate as spirituelle" Beyond this, it has 
been said of her with equal fidelity, that she 
" forgot no one service, neglected no one talent, 
and despised no one virtue." 

Henry II. of Navarre, in the cultivation of 
his mind and manners, appears to have been 
not unsuitably matched with this admirable 
woman. Nor is it improbable that her feelings 
with regard to this connexion might have received 
a favourable bias, from the circumstance of Henry 
having been taken prisoner at the battle of Pavia, 
w r hile fighting by the side of her brother. 

It was during the reign of Henry and Margue- 
rite, whose court was alternately held at Pau, and at 
the castle of Barbaste near Nerac, that the history 
of the chateau became marked by a different and 
h 2 



148 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



a more classic character than it had known before. 
Justly distinguished as Marguerite was, for every 
accomplishment which adorned her age, as well as 
for more solid acquirements, which brought within 
the circle of her society some of the most learned 
men of her own and other nations ; the character 
of her consort was scarcely less admired for his 
chivalry, and his devotion to the fine arts, which 
entitled him to be called the Francis I. of Beam. 
Both are said to have brought from the French 
court, then the most brilliant in Europe, a degree 
of taste and refinement of which the despoiled 
and dilapidated chateau of Pau still retains some 
traces. Amongst the many artists and men of 
genius whom their liberality rewarded, and their 
society drew around them, they invited from Spain 
some Arabs, renowned for their skill in architec- 
ture ; from which circumstance it is probable the 
chateau has derived something of its Moorish 
aspect. 

In all its higher and holier attributes, the cha- 
racter of Marguerite far surpassed that of her 
consort. Surrounded in early youth by all the 
allurements of the French court, she had been 
perhaps, in some measure preserved from its temp- 
tations by her love of study ; and that her mind 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



149 



was even then impressed with the worthlessness 
of all inferior objects of ambition, appears more 
than probable, from her having in her seventeenth 
year, adopted for her device a marigold bending 
to the sun, with this motto in Latin, — " Not 
following lower things." 

Her first marriage in 1509, with the Duke 
d'Alen£on, had not been a happy one, and she 
appears then more especially, to have given her mind 
to religious meditation, and her time to serious 
pursuits ; amongst which, her talents as an au- 
thoress were called into frequent exercise. Even 
our own Queen Elizabeth thought it not unbe- 
coming her dignity to translate into English a 
work from the pen of Marguerite of Valois, which 
was printed in the year 1548, under the title of 
" A godlie meditation of a Christian soule." 

In her second marriage with Henry d'Albret, 
Marguerite was still unfortunate ; for though his 
relish for the refinements of life might bear some 
proportion to her own, his religious impressions 
were of a very inferior order, and being ten 
years younger than herself, he was consequently 
exposed to all the temptations of youth, at the 
time when she was becoming gradually estranged 
from the gaieties of the world, and indeed from all 



150 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



earthly things. His bias in favour of the reformed 
religion, was also of a widely different nature from 
hers; for while he was easily prevailed upon by 
the king of France to renounce these opinions 
altogether, and finally to espouse those of the 
Roman Catholics; his queen was enabled to main- 
tain to the last, her zealous and faithful adherence 
to the true doctrines of Christianity, extending her 
patronage and protection to some of the most able 
and pious men of the protestant persuasion; en- 
during patiently, not only opprobrium, but cruelty 
and persecution as a Christian and a woman. 

Amongst the many trials it was her portion to 
endure, none fell more heavily than the master- 
stroke of ingratitude inflicted by her brother, whose 
short-sighted policy induced him to deprive his 
sister of the society of her only child, in the fear 
that her mother's influence might be the means of 
turning her mind from the tenets of the Romish 
faith. Jeanne d'Albret, daughter of Henry and 
Marguerite of Navarre, was born in the chateau of 
Pau, on the 7th of February, 1528. At a very 
early age she was removed to the French court, 
and when only twelve years old, was married in a 
compulsory manner to the Duke of Cleves ; on 
which occasion the poor child was so loaded with 
ornaments as to be unable to walk, and the con- 



IK THE PYRENEES. 



151 



stable of France was consequently obliged to carry 
the bride in his arms, from her carriage to the church. 

Bitterly as Marguerite must have felt this priva- 
tion, her attachment to her brother was such, that 
not until his death in 1547, did her gentle spirit 
sink under its accumulated sorrows. Retiring to 
a little village in Angouleme, she there joined a 
religious community of females, over whom she 
presided; but afterwards, having removed to the 
chateau d'Odos near Tarbes, she is said to have 
caught a severe cold while watching a comet, and 
at this place she died, December 25, 1549, 

It has been recorded with some satisfaction by 
the Roman Catholic writers, that in her dying 
moments she kissed a crucifix that was held before 
her. I cannot better remark upon this fact, than 
in the beautiful language of a writer who has done 
much to render justice to the memory of this 
admirable woman. " She who had embraced the 
cross in early life, and had so long borne it by patient 
endurance, might, surely, while in the agony of 
leaving one world, and in the earnest expectation 
of entering another, have kissed a crucifix without 
any superstitious feeling. The materialism of 
religion could have had but little influence over 
the dying senses of a Christian like the queen of 
Navarre, who, while her paralytic hands grasped a 



152 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



crucifix, sufficiently declared the sort of feeling 
with which she viewed it, by thrice exclaiming as 
she expired, Jesus ! Jesus ! Jesus !" # 

The king of Navarre, whose influence over the 
temporal affairs of his people was uniformly bene- 
ficial, died six years after his queen, and was interred 
at Lescar. He was succeeded in the sovereignty 
of the kingdom, by his daughter Jeanne. It was 
perhaps, well for this princess, that while gifted 
with the talents of her mother, she possessed a 
loftier and more commanding spirit, at once adapted 
to the support of her influence as a queen, and to 
the peculiar exigencies of the times in which she 
lived. Her ill-assorted marriage with the Duke of 
Cleves having been dissolved by a dispensation 
from the Pope, another was contracted in 1548 
with Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendome, a 
man whose weak and vacillating character was but 
ill calculated to support the prompt and judicious 
conduct of the queen. 

On Jeanne d'Albret's accession to the throne, 
she and her consort took the usual oaths according 
to the forms of the Roman Catholic church, to the 
discipline of which they then conformed ; and two 
days after this ceremony, an address was presented 
to the new sovereigns from their estates of Beam, 
* Notices of the Reformation in Beam. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



153 



stating that a new sect had lately sprung up, in- 
fected with heresy, and earnestly calling upon them 
to direct the bishops to search out these sectaries, 
in order that every means might be used for bring- 
ing to light, and finally putting down the offenders. 
In answer to this address, the king and queen ex- 
pressed their desire to extirpate heresy, wherever it 
might exist in their dominions; and orders were 
published for so dealing with the prelates, as to 
incite them to greater zeal in the work of extirpa- 
tion. Yet, notwithstanding this apparent severity, 
no effective measures appear to have been taken. 

In the mean time, Jeanne d'Albret, who had 
been educated in the Roman Catholic faith, and 
who, in addition to her youth and beauty, possessed 
great shrewdness of wit, with a liveliness of tem- 
perament, which before her residence in Beam, is 
said to have led her to a dance, rather than to a 
sermon, was now 7 brought into contact with many of 
the persecuted protestants, amongst whom the 
memory of her mother was cherished with the 
tenderest affection; and besides that beautiful 
exemplification of the Christian character left to 
her in her mother's writings and example, she had 
the additional influence of her mother's friends, as 
a living testimony of the purer doctrines of the 
reformed religion. 

h 3 



154 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



The heart of Jeanne d'Albret was not callous 
to these impressions. While her vacillating hus- 
band appeared for a time to be convinced by the 
arguments of those around him ; the nobler-minded 
queen, when once her heart had been made the 
subject of deeper convictions, conferring not with 
fiesh and blood, declared herself openly, and deci- 
dedly, to be on the side of the reformed doctrines ; 
and from that time the little court of Beam became 
a place of refuge for the oppressed protestants, 
both of France and Germany, who richly repaid 
her hospitality by disseminating the seeds of re- 
ligious truth amongst her people. 

But I pretend not to give a history of the pro- 
gress of the Reformation, as it subsequently ex- 
tended in these provinces. This has already been 
done by abler hands than mine, yet the subject is 
one, which makes it difficult to remember, that my 
appropriate task confines me to a narrower and 
an humbler sphere. Already I should be afraid of 
having wandered too far out of this sphere, but 
that it may surely be permitted to a woman, to 
linger over associations with which all that is noble 
and exalted in her own sex, has been so intimately 
connected. A few more brief notices of the life 
of Jeanne d'Albret, will suffice for all I dare add on 
this momentous and fertile theme. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



155 



The stranger who visits the chateau of Pau, is 
shown the very chamber where Henry IV., then 
the only child of the queen of Navarre, first saw 
the light, on the 13th December, 1553. From 
thence he is led to another apartment, where, ar- 
ranged with a degree of gorgeous splendour, but 
little in keeping with the massive and venerable 
character of the chateau, is the cradle in which 
the infant monarch was nursed. It consists of one 
entire tortoise-shell ; and not the least remarkable 
part of its history, is the fact, that when during the 
reign of terror, the furious populace rushed upon 
the palace, determined to destroy every vestige of 
royalty, it was secretly conveyed out of their reach, 
and its place supplied by the generosity of a gen- 
tleman of Pau, who happening to have one of the 
same kind amongst his collection of curiosities, 
suffered his own to be sacrificed, and afterwards 
restored the real treasure. 

From the state room in which this cradle is pre- 
served, you walk out upon a balcony in front of 
the building, which commands a magnificent view 
of the river, the valley, and the mountains. But 
a far more interesting subject of contemplation to 
me, than even this elegant salon, of which our 
conductor appeared to think so much, was a little 
tower at the south-west corner of the chateau, 



156 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



which was used by the queen as her private study. 
That which is called her apartment, in this tower, 
is small and unadorned, but it commands a view 
combining all that is beautiful and grand in nature, 
and which may well be supposed to have refreshed 
her harassed mind, amidst the troubles and disap- 
pointments she was destined to endure. The 
window to the southward looks directly upon the 
whole range of the Pyrenees, while from that, as 
well as one of the others, you see the winding 
river sweeping past the foot of the old castle, the 
bridge, the smiling plain, the vine-clad hills ; and, 
sloping off towards the point where the sun goes 
down in such golden splendour, the rich foliage, 
deep shadows, and lofty stems of the trees which 
adorn the Pare. But above all to a mother's heart, 
this tower possessed the advantage of another view, 
towards the little village of Bilheres, where her 
infant son was nursed. 

Was it in this chamber that undaunted resolution 
of the queen was formed, which prompted the 
utterance of those memorable words recorded by 
Beza, — " that sooner than ever again go to mass, 
or suffer her kingdom or her child to do so, she 
would if it were possible, cast them into the depths 
of the sea to hinder it?" Or where did the scene 
take place which the Cardinal Ferrara states that 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



157 



he witnessed, when the queen with passionate ten- 
derness clasped the young prince in her arms, and 
uttered a long and earnest exhortation to him, never 
to attend mass in any way whatever ; adding, that 
if he disobeved her in that, she would disinherit 
him, and no longer consider herself his mother?" 

I have already spoken of the church of St. 
Martin, situated but a few paces from the chateau- 
It was here, on Easter-day, 1560, after the death of 
her husband, that Jeanne d'Albret received the 
communion according to the rites of the reformed 
church. This public avowal of her sentiments, 
was followed, as might have been expected, by the 
sentence of excommunication from the court of 
Rome, as well as by a declaration of the for- 
feiture of the crown, and absolution of her subjects 
from their oaths of allegiance. Throughout the 
whole of the conflict which she subsequently main- 
tained against the enemies of truth, we find in the 
history of this noble-hearted queen, a series of 
trials and difficulties that would have subdued a 
spirit not peculiarly and providentially fitted for 
the support of the just and righteous cause she had 
espoused. Alone in the midst of powerful foes, 
her little kingdom hemmed in by envious nations, 
often betrayed by those from whom she hoped 
for aid, and not even supported by her son, in 



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the cause that was nearest her heart, — in the midst 
of all these discouragements, her soul remained 
undaunted, for she knew in whom she trusted. 
With the noble daring of an upright mind, scarcely 
equalled in the history of woman, she was thus 
enabled to throw back the sophistries of priestcraft, 
to meet with unshaken fortitude every fresh reverse 
of fortune, to detect and baffle treachery, and, 
what was more noble, — to forgive. 

It is creditable to our queen Elizabeth, that she 
more than once, at the solicitation of Jeanne d'Al- 
bret, sent sums of money and arms to aid her in 
her difficulties; though not before the queen of 
Navarre had given up her own personal property, 
even her jewels, to meet the necessities of her 
people, at the time when they were assailed by 
hostile armies. 

In the year 1572, Jeanne d'Albret had so far 
succeeded in the great object of her life, that of 
establishing the reformed religion in her kingdom, 
as to have a decree acknowledged and registered 
by the estates of Beam, in which both firmness 
and judgment are admirably displayed. After the 
publication of this decree, the queen felt more at 
liberty to leave her court at Pau, and accepting the 
invitation of Gaillart, bishop of Chartres, who had 
embraced the reformed religion, she became a 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



159 



guest at his palace. On this journey the queen 
met her son at Blois, where the French court 
was then held; and on the 4th of June, 1572, she 
arrived at Paris. She was then in her forty-fourth 
year, and not considered to be in a declining state 
of health, though severely tried and harassed by 
the many conflicts she had so nobly sustained; yet 
five days after this time, her death is recorded to 
have taken place, not without strong suspicions 
attaching to the party of Catherine de Medicis, of 
having accelerated her passage to the grave by 
the means of poison. 

Two months after the death of his mother, 
Henry of Navarre was united in marriage to Mar- 
guerite of Valois, sister to the king of France; 
and six days after this ceremony, the massacre of 
St. Bartholomew took place, in which Henry 
himself had once been doomed as one of the 
victims. 

Jeanne d' Albret left an only daughter, Catherine, 
whose character was justly held in such esteem by 
her brother, that when called away from his court 
of Navarre, he left her sole regent of his kingdom ; 
and such was the influence of this princess over the 
people of Beam, that when in want of sums of 
money to aid her brother in his political career, 
she had only to send amongst them a simple billet 



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signed with her hand, to obtain the necessary 
supplies. Like her mother and queen Marguerite, 
she was gifted with superior talents, and a high 
degree of taste for the fine arts, particularly for 
poetry and music, in both which she excelled. 

There is now no trace, beyond mere record, 
remaining of a beautiful retreat, erected by Jeanne 
d'Albret for this princess, to which she was accus- 
tomed to retire for the purpose of pursuing her 
studies. It was situated near to what is now the 
Pare, and is said to have been adorned in the style 
of a temple dedicated to the muses. 

Possessing so many excellences, and holding so 
exalted a position, it was to be expected that an 
alliance with this princess would be an object of 
much speculation in those scheming and politic 
times. Amongst the many proposals submitted to 
her choice, queen Elizabeth would gladly have 
claimed her hand for the young king of Scotland, 
and, as a bribe to render this connexion more 
desirable, offered the promise of succession to the 
throne of England. The heart of the princess, 
however, with a perverseness not altogether un- 
precedented, either in public or private history, 
yielded to no persuasion but that of a man whose 
religious faith was different from her own, and who 
was neither approved by her near connexions, nor 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



161 



by the people of Beam, who were accustomed to 
consider themselves as possessing the right of 
influence over the domestic relations of their 
sovereigns. 

In consequence of the failure of the scheme, by 
which the favoured lover, the Count de Soissons, 
had expected to accomplish his marriage with the 
princess at Pau, Catherine resigned the regency of 
the kingdom of Navarre, and after joining her 
brother, w r as subsequently induced by him to give 
her hand in marriage to the Duke of Lorraine and 
Bar. From this family she is said to have suffered 
much persecution, on account of her religious faith. 
All endeavours to induce her to renounce the faith 
in which she had been educated, however, proved 
eventually fruitless. She died under strong suspi- 
cion of having been poisoned, with these memorable 
words upon her lips, cfi Were there no other reason, 
I could never belong to a religion which would 
teach me to believe that my mother was damned." 

The history of Henry IV., with the many im- 
portant circumstances which distinguished his short 
but eventful career, are too well known to form a 
subject for the pen of a mere traveller. His 
residence at Pau as the sovereign of Navarre, 
appears to have been marked by no fact so power- 
fully as by the hold he obtained upon the affections 



162 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



of his people, to which many circumstances con- 
nected with his early life no doubt contributed. 
Over a remote people like the Bearnaise, no fact 
could exercise a more powerful influence than that 
of having fostered in the bosom of their country so 
great a monarch as he afterwards became ; while 
his early education amongst them as a peasant boy, 
— his love of rural sports, — his frank and cheerful 
bearing, so much in keeping with the good- 
humoured people themselves, — with the partiality 
he ever retained for his native country, and the 
well-remembered saying of his, when he assumed 
the sovereignty of France, that he gave France 
to Bearn, rather than Bearn to France, — are cir- 
cumstances sufficiently powerful of themselves to 
account for the proud affection with which they 
still speak of him as the " best of kings." 

There is in the chateau a full-length statue of 
this prince, said to be an excellent likeness, and no 
less valuable as a specimen of art. At present, 
however, it is secured from the inspection of the 
public, the whole place being under repairs, and so 
filled with workmen, that we could see but little of 
the interior of the building. It is highly creditable 
to the present king of France, that he is laying out 
considerable sums of money in restoring the cha- 
teau to a habitable state ; but whether the repairs, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



many of which are effected by the addition of 
white marble, will ever sufficiently harmonize with 
the rude and massive architecture of the rest of 
the building, is a question which I must leave to 
the discussion of future visitors. 

In connexion with this edifice, and the death of 
Henry IV., a singular fact is told ; that, while 
other buildings, and many lofty trees in the im- 
mediate neighbourhood, have been injured or 
struck down by lightning, the chateau * itself was 
never struck but once, and that was on the me- 
morable day when the king was assassinated. 

Amongst other memorials of the great men of 
whom Pau may justly be allowed to boast, we were 
accustomed to see the following inscription on a 
marble tablet fixed into the wall of a house, not 
many paces from our residence : — 

CHARLES JEAN BERNADOTTE, 
ROI DE SUEDE, 
APPELE AU TRONE 
PAR LE V(EU UNANIME DES SUEDOIS, 
EST NE DANS CETTE MAISON, 
LE 26 JANVIER, 1763. 

This tablet might speak volumes in itself upon 
the incalculable course of human affairs. For 
when we think of the comparative obscurity of his 



164 



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birth, the remoteness of his native place from the 
scene of his subsequent glory, and the sunny world 
around the cradle of the infant king, we are led to 
suppose that few circumstances could have ap- 
peared more improbable to those who watched 
over the Bearnais infant, than that he should ever 
be placed upon the throne of Sweden. 

The military career of Bernadotte is already a 
matter of history : but it does not detract from his 
glory, that with the same prudence and right 
feeling which uphold his influence on the throne, 
he continues to extend to the relatives he has left 
behind him in his native land, such tokens of re- 
membrance as are best calculated to increase their 
happiness. Instead of drawing them away from 
the sphere of comfort and respectability to which 
they have been accustomed, or disturbing the even 
tenor of their lives by ambitious hopes, too often 
and too fatally deceived, his benevolence flows 
back to the place of his birth, through various 
channels, less ostentatious, it is true, but far more 
calculated to benefit the friends of his early years. 

Amongst many other circumstances equally 
illustrative of the unsophisticated good feeling of 
Bernadotte, we have been told, that he writes 
every year to the father of a gentleman in Pau, a 
letter of pure friendship, reminding him of the days 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



J 65 



when they were boys at the same school together,, 
It need hardly be said, in what esteem are held 
such tokens of remembrance, from a man of whom 
Buonaparte used to say, that he had a French 
head, with the heart of a Roman. 

It is a fact worthy of notice, that of the two 
kings to whom Pau has given birth, Henry IV, 
and Bernadotte, one renounced the Protestant 
faith to obtain the crown of France, lightly ob- 
serving, that " Paris was well worth a mass," — and 
the other, two hundred years later, renounced the 
Roman Catholic religion, and became a Protestant 
in obtaining the crown of Sweden. 

Distant as Pau is from the capital, and peaceful 
as the aspect of the surrounding country now 
appears, it is not difficult to perceive in walking 
along the streets of this town, that it must have 
shared in no ordinary degree in the conflicts 
by which the internal prosperity of France has 
been so often, and so frightfully destroyed. At the 
corners of many of the streets you still see one, 
two, and even three names displaced to make way 
for others. It needs no farther history to tell to 
what dates belong the following, which I have 
selected from many others of the same character : 
Rue Buonaparte, now Rue Royale, Rue Revolu- 



166 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



tionnaire, Rue Libre, Rue des Rayonettes, Rue 
et Place Egalite, &c. 

Nor are such the only traces that remain to tell 
the bloody history of those times. Many families 
still remain to lament the victims of barbarity torn 
from their social circle; and there are some dwelling 
in comparative obscurity, who before the revolution 
held a distinguished rank amongst their fellow- 
citizens. One case of this description has afforded 
us peculiar interest. It is that of a venerable 
countess, now occupying a small apartment beside 
the gateway of a noble mansion, once her here- 
ditary home. In the courtyard of this house 
several members of her family were executed, and 
she herself was afterwards sentenced to the pillory, 
for receiving a letter from her son. But such was 
the esteem in which she was held, that while thus 
exposed, not a single passenger w T as seen in the 
street, every shop was closed, and no individual was 
found to look upon what had been vainly intended 
as her disgrace. 

Another remarkable illustration of the strength 
of public feeling is found in the case of Madame 
Caudan, who suffered the sentence of death during 
the same eventful times. Such had been the 
piety and benevolence of this lady, that the poor 
people of Pau with one accord petitioned for her 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



167 



life ; and so powerful was the popular feeling 
in her favour, that it was impossible to find, 
amongst the inhabitants of her native place, a man 
so hardened as to execute the sentence pronounced 
against her. Under these peculiar circumstances 
an executioner was brought from Tarbes, but even 
he was so affected by the description given him of 
her character, that he preserved from the property 
upon her person, which fell to him by right, a 
valuable relic in gold, which he afterwards restored 
to her afflicted family. 

Thus we meet at almost every step with me- 
morials of the great national events with which the 
history of France abounds ; and the record of 
illustrious visitors who have paused in their career 
of interest or ambition, to enjoy the refreshment of 
this delightful climate, forms perhaps not the least 
important feature in the annals of the place. 

One of the most brilliant of these occasions w r as 
when that imperious and artful woman, Catherine 
de Medicis, with her son, Charles IX., came to 
visit Pau, to fill the old chateau with her splendid 
and courtly train, and to startle the wondering 
Bearnaise people with a display of fanciful cos- 
tumes, of sports and pastimes, such as they had 
never witnessed before. It may well be imagined 
what were the feelings of Jeanne d'Albret on this 



168 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



occasion, especially when Catherine insisted upon 
taking back with her to the court of France the 
young prince Henry, with whom she professed to 
be much pleased. But Jeanne is said to have 
concealed her feelings with her accustomed forti- 
tude, and to have done the honours of her court to 
her gay and royal guests, in all respects as became 
the dignity of a queen. 

But the most important visitation which the 
annals of the place record, was the eventful 
entrance of Louis XIII. into the capital of the 
ancient domain of his family, on the 15th of 
October, 1620. On this occasion, it is said, 
there was no testimony of joy on the part of his 
subjects, but rather the sullen submission of a van- 
quished people; for he had come to destroy the 
ancient court and dynasty of Navarre, by uniting 
it to that of France ; and what was more, to re- 
establish a religion, against which the people of 
Beam had for so many years been struggling as 
against a common enemy — an enemy not tem- 
poral, but eternal. 

It was then that the church of St. Martin, where 
Jeanne d'Albret had received the communion, and 
established the Protestant worship, was ordered by 
this prince to be purified from its pollutions by the 
accustomed ceremonies, the king himself attending 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



169 



the celebration of mass, and joining in a solemn 
procession which paraded through the streets of 
the town, with a lighted taper in his hand. After 
which, he demanded an oath of fealty from his 
subjects; and thus ratified the means he had 
adopted to overthrow the laws and the institutions 
of the last fifty years. 



I 



170 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



CHAPTER VII. 

LATENESS 01' THE SPRING ENGLISH COTTON SPINNER 

AT JURANQON VISIT TO A MAISON DE CAMPAGNE 

PONT LONG — COMPARISON OF ENGLISH AND FRENCH 

COTTAGES LESCAR — COMMENCEMENT OF WARM 

WEATHER — FRENCH FROGS. 

Had we formed an idea of the beauty of spring 
weather in the south of France, at all propor- 
tioned to that of winter, we should have been 
grievously disappointed. But every one told us, 
that before the commencement of spring, or rather 
summer — for in this climate there appears to be 
no spring — we must have a rainy season, not 
unfrequently accompanied with severe cold; and 
as these rains were unusually late, the progress of 
vegetation was in the same degree retarded. I find 
it recorded in my journal of the 80th of March, 
that we had only had rain three times since 
the beginning of February, and never sufficient 
to moisten the ground. We had also about this 
time sufficient experience of the peculiar effect of 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



171 



cold in this climate, which, even when much less 
severe than in England, is probably more felt from 
its succeeding to a degree of heat unknown there 
in the winter season. At all events, it produced 
upon us so uncomfortable a smarting of the skin, 
accompanied with such chapped hands and chil- 
blains, that we ceased to wonder at the coarse, dry, 
and withered complexions of the old women, and 
began to apprehend a very speedy approximation 
to their appearance in ourselves. 

Impatient as we had previously been to take up 
our abode amongst the mountains, we were now 
convinced that our friends had been right, when 
they told us there was no trusting to their sunny 
aspect before the month of May, at the very 
earliest; and we therefore took the opportunity 
of visiting other scenes of interest in the neigh- 
bourhood of Pau, amongst which I must not forget 
one of a very humble and unobstrusive nature. 
It was the residence of John Haydock, a "canny" 
old Englishman, who had been a cotton-spinner at 
Blackburn in Lancashire, and who, having estab- 
lished himself at Rouen during the peace of 
Amiens, has been a resident in France ever since. 
His business, it is said, answered sufficiently well for 
him at Rouen ; but family considerations inducing 
him to leave that place, he bought a little property 
i 2 



172 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



by the side of a beautiful stream at Juran^on, in 
the vain hope of establishing a cotton mill upon 
its banks. He is a most ingenious man, and an 
excellent mechanic ; but there being no trade in 
this place, all his curious inventions, of which he 
has a great number, are of little use ; and it is to 
be feared his circumstances are sinking rather 
low. He has, however, a comfortable cottage, and 
a luxuriant garden, of which he is very proud. 

While watching his cheerful, honest, English 
face, and listening to his Lancashire dialect, as 
pure as if he had left Blackburn but a week ago, it 
brought back to my memory many a well-remem- 
bered scene ; and when he showed us his goose- 
berry bushes, here very rare, amongst his vines 
and peaches, and told us they bore a "terrible 
sight of fruit," I could hardly believe I was so 
distant from some of the English cottage gardens 
which I had known in early life. 

The workshop of this ingenious man is a real 
curiosity. Amongst a variety of his own inven- 
tions, and other specimens of art, he showed us 
some stamps of his own making for printing Spanish 
cards, by which he was obtaining a trifling profit ; 
and though a strange occupation for an English 
cotton-spinner, it was evident from the elegance 
of their design, that the man was fitted for a higher 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



173 



fate than to dwindle out his days in poverty. His 
wife, who is a Roman Catholic, says that he keeps 
his Bible hid on a shelf, lest it should be dis- 
covered by the priests; and that every Sunday 
afternoon he locks himself in his bedroom to read 
it alone. 

There is much in the situation of this man to 
interest the English residents at Pau. The w r alk 
to his dwelling occupies but half an hour, and its 
position is one of the most picturesque in the 
neighbourhood. It stands at the foot of a range 
of steep hills, whose sides are covered with vine- 
yards, and on the banks of one of those fertilizing 
streams which supply the air with freshness, and 
the earth with verdure. 

Near to the dwelling of John Haydock, is a 
space of ground entirely shaded by the finest oaks 
in the neighbourhood. This scene strongly re- 
minded me of one in Ivanhoe, from its being 
the place where the swineherd of the village drives 
the numerous and noisy animals committed to his 
care. All the animals in Bearn, how r ever, and 
these are by no means exceptions to the rule, 
appear to be good-humoured, docile, and gene- 
rally well-disposed. Even the pigs are so easily 
disciplined, that the herdsman has only to sound 
his horn in the morning, and forth they come from 



174 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



every cottage, far and near, the whole swinish 
population of the village joining themselves into 
one troop, which, without any farther trouble, is 
conducted wherever the herdsman chooses to take 
tliem. In the evening he sounds another blast 
upon his large cow's horn, when the multitude is 
again assembled from whatever distance they may 
have strayed, and pouring through the streets and 
lanes of the village like a torrent — for the French 
pigs are almost as swift as greyhounds, they gather 
up the garbage from the doors, and having made a 
general clearance, retreat to their separate domi- 
ciles for the night. 

Magnificent and beautiful as the view of the 
Pyrenees unquestionably is from the Pare, the 
Place Royale, and many other parts of Pau, there 
are positions on the neighbouring hills, from whence 
they appear to still greater advantage, the view 
from these being less interrupted by intervening 
heights. One of these favourite points of ob- 
servation is about the distance of an hour or 
two hours' walk from Pau, on the summit of the 
hills which rise southwestward of Juran^on, from 
whence the whole range is seen, with the addition 
of many stretching to the east and the west, which 
are not visible from a lower elevation. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



175, 



Another favourite view is from a range of hills 
running eastward of these ; and this eminence is 
approached by a road which leads through the 
little village of Gelos, about a mile to the left of 
Juran§on. Humble as this village appears, it 
boasts its noble chateau, once a monastery, and 
now a handsome and regular building, which had 
the honour, in the year 1808, to receive as its 
illustrious guests, the Emperor Napoleon, and 
Josephine, then on their way to Bayonne. 

A little beyond the village of Gelos, is the 
entrance of a beautiful valley, which seems pecu- 
liarly formed for solitude and repose. A road 
winds through it amid the welcome shade of 
spreading oaks, and along the banks of a crystal 
stream. Meadows of the brightest green slope 
down to the water ; while higher up, the sides of 
the steep hills are hung with vineyards, and higher 
still, they are clothed with the rich foliage of lofty 
trees, amongst which are situated some of the 
most delightful habitations to be found in this 
neighbourhood. 

It would be an act of ingratitude to forget, that 
half-way up the slope of one of these verdant hills, 
is the residence of one of the most hospitable 
gentlemen in France, or any other country; at 



176 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



whose house, a little later in the spring, we spent 
one of the brightest of many sunny days. Seated 
for some hours by the side of a cool fountain, 
under the shade of a spreading tree, we then looked 
down into the green valley, and watched the vine- 
dressers at work in his vineyards ; certainly without 
envying the poor women who sometimes climbed 
up the hill to come and quench their thirst at the 
fountain. Though picturesque in the distance, 
they looked miserable creatures on a nearer view, 
— their dress, on account of the excessive heat, 
reduced to little more than one garment, and their 
haggard features shaded from the sun by coarse 
straw hats, with broad brims, which are usually 
worn by the women when working in the fields in 
hot weather. 

Our kind host, after he had regaled us with a 
dinner so plentiful, so excellent, and politely 
pressed in such profusion upon our plates, that the 
bare remembrance of it was enough to assuage 
the keenest appetite for some time afterwards, 
would not suffer us to leave his house until we had 
taken tea in the true English style, though we had 
previously had the most excellent coffee, served in 
the French fashion, immediately after dinner. 
Our tea, though certainly unnecessary, was well 
worth having, for the picturesque effect of taking 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



177 



it in the open air, on a terrace from whence we 
looked down upon the valley, while the sun was 
setting, and all things gradually sinking into that 
stillness which so often, amongst these hills and 
mountains, leaves nothing to be heard but the 
distant flow of rushing water, that "natural music" 
of the Pyrenees. 

From this lovely spot we walked a little higher 
up the hill to another property, belonging to the 
same family, which commands the finest general 
view of Pau. And here, w T hile w r e gazed first to 
the mountains, which were gradually fading from 
the purple of sunset to the cold blue look of 
death, then to the winding river, the sloping gar- 
dens on the opposite side, the long line of hand- 
some buildings above them, the old chateau, and 
the tufted foliage of the Pare, still evening came 
upon us — so still, that I have often wondered how 
the imaginations of the people should have con- 
jured up amongst their superstitions, any so turbu- 
lent and restless as that of the huntsman priest. 

Yet so it is; and they tell to this day of a 
naughty priest, who loved the chase at least as 
well as he loved the duties of his proper calling. 
This priest, they say, had once entered the church, 
and was about to officiate on some solemn occasion, 
when, having been told that a wild animal was 
i3 



178 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



in the neighbourhood, away he went, called up his 
dogs, and set off in full chase. The marvel of the 
story, and its moral too, is that he has never since 
been allowed to stop; but often on a fine still 
evening, when the sun is setting, his figure may 
be seen, scouring along the horizon, while his pack 
of dogs follow after him in full cry, I can only 
say it has never been my chance to hear them. 

Extending for many miles to the east and north- 
east of Pau, is an uncultivated district, called the 
Pont Long, over which the people of the valley 
d'Ossau have from time immemorial exercised the 
right of possession ; and so jealous have they ever 
been of any infraction of this right, that during the 
reign of Henry II., when he had enclosed a por- 
tion of the ground for a park, they took the liberty 
of striking down the walls he had erected, consi- 
dering such appropriation an invasion of their 
rights. Many curious records remain of permission 
having been solicited by individuals of distinction 
about the court, for their cattle or horses to feed 
upon this land. The same jealous feeling may in 
some measure account for its remaining so long in 
its present dreary and uncultivated state, many 
attempts to improve it having been rewarded with 
the same unceremonious treatment. 

It has also been considered by many as 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



179 



incapable of cultivation ; but this fact is sufficiently 
disproved by the condition of the little village of 
Uzein, situated like a green island in the centre of 
this desert. This village is said to owe its present 
prosperity to the efforts of a cure, who incited 
the people of the place to extraordinary exertions 
in the improvement of the land, which now re- 
munerates them by producing some of the most 
beautiful maize in Beam. 

Though the aspect of this waste is by no means 
inviting, it is almost entirely screened from the 
town by intervening farms and cultivated plots of 
ground, but chiefly by extensive woods of oak, 
which are tracked in almost every direction by 
broad green paths, affording a delightful retreat 
for those whose element is not amongst the 
public and fashionable promenades. Here the 
botanist may range at will, fearless of deranging 
the order of a fence ; and here, too, the artist may 
sit and sketch, without the stranger's curious eye 
to gaze upon his book. Nor need he wander far 
in search of subjects worthy of his pencil, for every 
object is a picture, from the old farmhouse with its 
sloping thatch and pointed gable, to the mud 
cottage, the stunted oak, and the stone well. 

I scarcely think, that in any country the common 
buildings can be more picturesque than they are in 



180 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



France ; they have so many gables, and balconies, 
and points that catch the light, and irregularities 
of every description, with such deep shadows under 
their projecting roofs; to say nothing of the broken 
doors, the ruined walls, and often the rich colouring 
of their mossy thatch. Yet after all, they are only 
pictures for the canvas. There is no poetry, — if 
I might be allowed the expression, I should rather 
say, no moral in their aspect, since it fails to carry 
the mind of the beholder onward to any train of 
thought, beyond what is excited by mere form and 
colour. 

The case is widely different with all that is pic- 
turesque in our native land. An English cottage, 
for example, if one of the most respectable order, 
has its well-stocked orchard, its neat garden hedge, 
its old porch, its woodbine climbing to the roof, 
its bright windows, its clean stone step; and all 
these remind us of the family affection, the order, 
the comfort, and the simplicity within. But if, on 
the other hand, it is one of the wretched hovels 
which, even in England may occasionally be found, 
we are reminded with equal force of what must be 
the degradation of character, the privation, the 
suffering, of an English family, before their con- 
dition could have come to this. 

Of the effect produced by contemplating a neat 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



181 



and comfortable looking cottage in France, I am 
not prepared to speak, having never seen one. 
But the aspect of disorder and dilapidation which 
so many of the dwellings present, certainly excites 
little feeling beyond a desire to make a picture of 
it, and simply for this reason, because it is accom- 
panied by no mental suffering. Seated at the doors 
of these hovels, amongst heaps of filth and garbage, 
companions to the swine they fed, and knowing no 
ambition beyond the hope of feeding them in the 
most profitable manner, the French peasants are 
perfectly contented, for their requirements are so 
few, they scarcely know the feeling of want ; and 
being neither ashamed of disorder, nor annoyed 
by filth, they are conscious of no degradation. 
They labour cheerfully because they have always 
been accustomed to do so, and because the spot of 
ground they cultivate is their own. If they have 
two oxen for their team, a skeleton of a horse to 
ride to market, a couple of fowls, or a dozen eggs 
to sell, a bedstead, an armoire, and three crazy 
chairs, with an iron saucepan, and an earthen pot 
to make their soup, they may fairly be said to be 
as rich as their neighbours, and that is happiness 
enough for them. Thus we see them almost in- 
variably when young, with fresh, healthy, good- 
humouied, cheerful faces; and what is creditable 







182 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



both to youth and age, always in decent clothing, 
suited to the simple and unambitious lives they 
lead. 

Nor are the farm-houses, or perhaps I ought to 
say, the dwellings of the peasants of a higher order, 
less picturesque. The barn and the dwelling-house 
are sometimes under the same roof, and that is 
frequently composed of close thatch, on one side 
sloping almost down to the ground. On the other 
you see the entrance through a sort of cattle yard, 
strewn thickly with dead fern, which is used for 
litter. Around this yard are the mud walls, high 
gables, and sloping roofs of other buildings, with 
wide folding-doors, and open hay-lofts, and sheds, 
and all manner of receptacles, often kept from 
falling by props of timber, or the simple unhewn 
stems of trees ; while broken carts, and rails, and 
rubbish, lie about in every direction. In many 
cases this scene of confusion is partially concealed 
by a high wall, the entrance through which is one 
of remarkably picturesque effect, being a high 
gateway with wide folding-doors, over which is 
built a light slated roof, with something of a Chinese 
curve, supported at each end either by pillars, or 
by higher portions of the wall. Nor ought I to 
forget the pretty little hen-house, either forming 
part of the human dwelling, or standing by itself 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



183 



in the yard, with its facing and door of lattice-work, 
which is generally the only thing that looks neat, 
about the whole concern. 

Houses of this description are extremely nu- 
merous in the environs of Pau ; and when you see 
them standing by the side of a green lane, beneath 
the shadow of venerable oaks, with an old woman 
spinning at the door, a peasant man with his blue 
frock and Bearnais bonnet, leading home his beau- 
tiful cattle, or a bare-footed girl, coming in with 
her basket on her head ; and over the whole scene 
— over the green of the surrounding fields, the 
foliage of the trees, the thatch of the farm-house, 
and the bloom of the peasant girl, the sunset glow 
of a southern clime, you scarcely need go farther, 
in search of all the painter can require for the 
display of his richest colouring, and the happiest 
exercise of his skill. 

The stranger in Pau will certainly not have done 
justice to the memorials of antiquity which the 
environs of this place afford, unless he visits Les- 
car, a small but ancient town, situated about four 
miles from Pau, to the right of the Bayonne road, 
and seen, when looking westward from the Pare, 
in a conspicuous situation on the southern slope of 
a tract of high ground, which terminates abruptly 
in the valley of the Gave. 



J84 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



This little town, which is said to be of Roman 
origin, was once the capital of Beam. Its crown- 
ing objects of importance, its old church and castle, 
stand on a steep hill, or rather distinct eminence, 
separated from the high ground extending to the 
north, by a narrow but deep ravine, which has 
some appearance of having been excavated for the 
purpose of rendering the castle more secure. 

The church of Lescar, like many in this neigh- 
bourhood, is said to have owed its origin to the 
remorse of a distinguished nobleman, who, in the 
year 980 endowed the edifice, in the hope of 
thereby expiating the crime of murder, which he 
had committed. It afterwards became the prin- 
cipal cathedral church of Beam, and had the 
honour of numbering amongst its bishops, three 
men who were subsequently advanced to the dignity 
of cardinals. Among the many princely benefac- 
tors who enriched this edifice with their costly gifts, 
Gaston III. appears to have been the most munifi- 
cent. At the time when he flourished, a very 
extensive traffic, entirely monopolized by the Sara- 
cens, was carried on with the east by the way of 
Oleron and Jaca; and the relation between his 
territories and the frontier of Spain, thus afforded 
him the means of appropriating his choice of the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



185 



rich merchandise which passed that way, and of 
which, the incense used in churches formed no in- 
considerable part. 

The church of Lescar deserves to be visited with 
feelings of no trifling interest, from its having been 
the place of burial of so many of the sovereigns of 
Beam, amongst whose names are those of Mar- 
guerite of Valois, and her husband Henry II. 
Beyond these associations, however, neither the 
town nor the church offers many attractions to those 
who expect to find the vestiges of former splendour. 
The latter is a lofty, spacious, and venerable build- 
ing; but except for some beautiful specimens of 
Norman architecture at the eastern extremity, and 
some curiously carved oak within, it retains but few 
traces of the riches it once possessed, or the elegance 
with which it is said to have been adorned. 

Still I must say, I either felt, or fancied myself 
to be feeling, that there was something of silent 
majesty within its venerable walls, perhaps rendered 
more impressive to us, from passing immediately out 
of the brilliant sunshine into the deep gloom of its 
stately aisles, where we trod at every step upon tomb- 
stones, on which were inscribed dates of the six- 
teenth, fifteenth, and fourteenth centuries. Nor 
were the words upon these tombs effaced, except in 



186 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



a very few instances, and we could distinctly read 
the earnest appeal to the passer by, that he would 
offer up a prayer for the soul of the departed. 

Amongst other tombs, there is one of a cele- 
brated musician, buried here in 1678, who had for 
the space of thirty-six years, exercised his gift with 
all assiduity, in the service of this church ; and all 
who read the inscription, are requested to pray for 
his soul, " that after having assisted at the music of 
this world, it may be received amongst the happy, 
to assist at the celestial music through all eternity/' 

While lingering over the marble tombstones, 
and meditating upon the ancient splendour of this 
church, we were much struck with the contrast 
presented by the figures of two young Bearnaise 
women, who came to offer their devotions, by 
kneeling before the picture of every saint with 
which the walls are adorned, counting a bead, and 
repeating a prayer to each. One of them espe- 
cially, in her simple peasant's costume, was a far 
lovelier picture than any of the saints to whom she 
bowed, and the manner in which she performed her 
genuflexions, was graceful beyond description. I 
should have been sorry to suspect her attitude 
was studied, but what was there in the cold and 
senseless service she was rendering, to call her 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



187 



thoughts away from the mere form and aspect of 
devotion ? 

Not many paces from the north side of the 
church, and extending a considerable distance from 
east to west, is a line of ancient walls and towers, 
the remains of a castle or fortress, which must have 
been a place of great strength and magnitude. 
Indeed the whole town presents a singular picture 
of antiquity, being almost entirely composed of 
high towers, curious arches, and massive walls ; with 
a portcullis leading to the castle, and supported on 
one side by a lofty square tower, which looks as if 
it might have been strong enough to defy the world. 
There is an enemy, however, whose assaults this 
massive masonry has not been able to resist, and 
what might still have refused to yield to force, has 
been overcome by the insidious encroachments of 
decay. At the very foot of this high tower, there 
lies a solid mass of masonry, so thick, that in its 
fall it has not been shattered, but remains partially 
buried in the soil, and overgrown with weeds, 
amongst which, however, may be seen the smooth 
surface of what was once the inner wall, and a 
large portion of the roof. 

At the foot of the steep hill on which this for- 
tress is built, the southern descent from which to 



188 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the valley of the Gave is almost precipitous, stands 
a large and regular building, formerly a Barnabite 
college, established by Henry IV. in the hope of 
spreading amongst his people of Bearn, the doc- 
trines of the religion he had himself embraced. 
This building was subsequently converted into a 
cotton manufactory, but it is now unoccupied, and 
presents a gloomy and forlorn appearance. 

On returning from Lescar to Pau, we pass, on 
the left side of the road, and situate at the foot of 
the hills, which are here clothed with vines, the 
village of Bilhere, where Henry IV. passed his 
infant years, before being committed to the charge 
of the Baroness de Miossens. The house in which 
he was nursed, is still shown with affectionate pride 
by the people, by whom also, it was long held so 
sacred, as to be regarded as a place of refuge, 
where those who were attainted for crime, might 
fly from pursuit. On a stone in one of the walls, 
is seen an escutcheon with the arms of Bearn, 
—two cows yoked together, and these words under- 
neath, — Sauvegarde du roi. 

The rainy season to which I have before alluded, 
set in at Pau, about the beginning of April ; and 
before the twenty-fifth of that month, the whole 
world around us seemed to have undergone a 
change, more resembling some of the descriptions 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



189 



in a fairy tale, than any thing I had ever really 
witnessed. The sky was without a cloud, the ther- 
mometer at 71° in the shade, and all vegetation 
bursting into green. There had not, until this 
time, been so much difference as might have been 
expected, between the state of vegetation here and 
in England. But in the course of a single week, 
the corn fields, which, owing to excessive drought, 
had remained nearly in the same state for two 
months, were bearing wheat a yard in height. The 
orchards suddenly became white with blossoms, 
lilacs burst forth into full bloom, and all things 
assumed the same aspect they do with us about the 
end of May, or the middle of June. It became 
impossible then, to walk out in the glare of day 
with any comfort ; but the evenings were delicious, 
and the windows in all the houses being protected 
by green shutters, so that the air can be admitted, 
while the sunshine is shut out, we found no diffi- 
culty in keeping tolerably cool, while remaining 
quietly within. 

The poetical associations with which the first 
coming of spring are invariably connected, are not 
in this climate without their interruptions ; for no 
sooner does the warm sun burst forth after the 
spring rains, than innumerable multitudes of frogs, 
with voices of such volume and compass as almost 



190 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



to defy belief, begin every evening to croak in all 
the pools and ditches in the neighbourhood of Pan. 
About this time, too, we were invited to dine with 
some kind friends, to partake of no less a delicacy 
than a dish of these monsters ! 

I had always thought that an English frog might 
rest upon my plate a good while, before I should 
be able to bring myself to eat it ; but to hear the 
noise of these creatures, it would seem to be an act 
of magnanimity indeed, to make a meal of them. 
The first time I heard them, I was amazed, and 
horrified. It is no exaggeration to say, that when 
in full play on each side of the road, two persons 
cannot hear each other talk. It is not the duck- 
like " quake' -ing of our English frogs, but a sort 
of rattle or ruttle that beggars all description. An 
idea of its loudness may possibly be formed, when 
I say that the friends with whom we dined, lived at 
least half a mile from the principal scene of action, 
and yet they not only heard them through their 
doors and windows, but when these are closed, the 
sound came distinctly down the chimneys. 

I knew the legs of these animals alone were 
eaten, but I had expected to see them brought 
upon the table floating in sauce or gravy, and 
fortified myself accordingly against all persua- 
sion to eat them. When, however, I saw them as 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



191 



small as shrimps, quite dry, delicate, and crisp, I 
did at last make the experiment, and had I never 
heard them croak, should probably have thought 
them a great delicacy. We had subsequently an 
opportunity of partaking of other epicurean dainties, 
held in high esteem among the French ; amongst 
which were the delicious ortolans, and ducks' livers 
of enormous size, produced by the disgusting pro- 
cess of over-feeding. 

The rapid and extreme change in the state of 
the atmosphere, which had been the means of cloth- 
ing the world around us in such unimaginable fresh- 
ness and beauty, was not without its inconveniences 
and discomforts. Though our rooms could be kept 
tolerably cool by the exclusion of a great portion 
of the light, there were occasions when we were 
compelled to walk out, and then the ground seemed 
actually to scorch our feet as we trod upon it. 
Besides which, those delicious refreshments for the 
table, green gooseberries and rhubarb, the French 
have nothing to supply the want of; and oil, and 
lard, and thick gravies, and garlic, whatever they 
may be in the winter, are intolerable in the summer. 
It was on one of these days, that our servant brought 
me, by way of treat, a bowl of the favourite soup 
of the country. I cannot say that the flavour was 
objectionable, but it was a compound of cabbage 



192 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and other vegetables, boiled together, mixed with 
lard, and apparently beaten to a sort of pulp. 
In our evening meal we were unfortunate too. 
When we sat down to tea, the milk and the butter 
seemed to have exchanged qualities, for, owing to 
the excessive heat, the milk came out in a body, 
while the butter had become liquid. I had then 
an opportunity of understanding how the sour milk 
of Africa should be considered so great a delicacy ; 
for when changed in this rapid manner, it has the 
flavour of the finest curd, and is really excellent. 

One luckless day in particular, all the milk in 
the town was spoiled, and we were obliged to have 
recourse to sheep's milk, which I should only 
venture to recommend to those who are fond of a 
strong taste of mutton. That of goats is much 
better, and more frequently used ; herds of these 
beautiful animals being driven to the town every 
day, for the purpose of being milked. 

I have spoken of the Pare as being one of the 
most delightful of promenades, even in the winter ; 
but when the trees are in full leaf, it presents a 
scene almost like enchantment ; — on one side the 
deep shadow of the trees, amongst which their 
stately stems are gleaming; on the other, their 
feathery branches forming a canopy over head ; 
while the fresh cool river still murmurs over its 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



193 



gravelly bed below. Here we used to wander at 
the close of day, and when returning through the 
town, it was to us a novel and curious sight, to see 
the public rooms and cafes thrown open, w T hile all 
the poorer class of people sat in groups around 
their doors, as late as ten, looking as if the night 
was a greater luxury to them than the day. We 
had then excellent street music too, for the first 
time, — some Italians with their harps, and a band 
of Germans with their wild-sounding horns. In- 
deed the whole aspect and character of the place 
was so changed, that we seemed in the space of a 
few days, to have been transported into a different 
region of the w T orld. 

It was, of course, our wish to set off immediately 
for the mountains, and w r e made arrangements for 
that purpose, though still told that the weather was 
not to be trusted. We had ourselves observed, that 
each day towards the afternoon, a slight breeze 
sprang up, accompanied with dark clouds ; and this 
change in the atmosphere was followed by thunder- 
storms, accompanied w r ith so much cold and rain, 
that in the course of another week we all felt as if 
winter had come again. 



K 



194 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



CHAPTER VIII. 

JOURNEY TO EAUX BONNES — CASCADES — MOUNTAIN 
SHEPHERD — HINTS ON THE SUBJECT OF SKETCHING 

CULTIVATION OF THE VALLEY D'OSSAU PYRE- 

NEAN BOTANIST EAUX CHAUDES GABAS AU- 

BERGE IN THE MOUNTAINS THUNDER STORM. 

In consequence of the frequent changes in the 
weather, which in this climate are far mor6 ex- 
treme than in ours, we were not able to take our 
departure for the mountains, before the end of 
May. Even then our journey was performed 
under no favourable auspices, for we had a 
drizzling rain all the way; but as the family of 
friends, with whom we had been most intimate 
during our residence in Pau, were going to take 
up their abode at Eaux Bonnes for the summer, 
we felt the less inclination to remain behind. 

It was still a month earlier than the commence- 
ment of the fashionable season ; but as we passed 
through the old town of Lauruns, situated at the 
foot of the mountain through which is the steep 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



195 



and rocky pass to Eaux Chaudes, there were 
symptoms of eager anticipation on many a hard- 
worn countenance ; and urgent were the solicita- 
tions of those who flocked round our carriage, to 
be allowed to supply us with bread or milk, or any 
other kind of provisions which their humble means 
might afford. 

At a short distance from this village, the road, 
which until reaching this place is the same as to 
Eaux Chaudes, instead of ascending to the gorge, 
makes a turn to the left ; and though the acclivity 
is not very steep, it is so long and wearisome, 
that in compassion to our horses, we walked all the 
way, a distance of more than three miles. We 
were joined on the road by many of the women of 
the country, who eagerly asked if we came from 
Paris, that being the highest recommendation a 
visitor to these mountains can possibly possess, in 
the opinion of the country people. These women, 
like all we had noticed in the valley of Ossau, 
appeared to be of an Amazonian race, tall, up- 
right, agile, well-formed, and with rich glowing 
complexions, — their dress most frequently a close 
jacket of thick blue cloth, with a short petticoat of 
the same material, extremely wide, and drawn 
together in a prodigious number of close plaits at 
the waist. Over their heads they wore a scarlet, 
k 2 



196 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and sometimes a dark blue capulet, now that the 
weather had become warmer, often disposed upon 
the head in deep thick folds, so as to give an air of 
majesty to the face and the whole figure. 

On arriving at Eaux Bonnes, we found it was a 
little town in miniature, consisting of one good 
street, and this composed almost entirely of spa- 
cious and handsome hotels and lodging-houses, 
with a neat chapel at the highest extremity of the 
village. Its appearance, with regard to situation, 
is that of being what is commonly called, at the 
world's end ; or, in other words, at the end of the 
only road by which it is approached. It is no 
thoroughfare, but stands in a sort of basin, amongst 
the mountains, which rise almost perpendicularly 
from the houses, leaving no other opening than on 
the north-west side. It might, perhaps, be owing 
to the dullness of the day, which prevented our 
seeing the loftiest peaks of the mountains, and cast 
a sombre hue over every object; but I certainly 
was disappointed in the first aspect of Eaux 
Bonnes. The cleanliness and comfort of our 
apartments, the excellence of the provisions, and 
the general civility with which we were treated, 
were, however, far beyond my expectations, and 
such as it would have been unreasonable indeed 
not to have been more than satisfied with. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



197 



On the following morning, the mists had cleared 
away; not a cloud was in the sky; and having 
heard, that of the many waterfalls which constitute 
the chief attraction of the scenery of Eaux Bonnes, 
one at the distance of three miles was the most 
beautiful, we engaged a guide to accompany us, 
and set out on our morning's ramble. Our guide 
was one of those useful and communicative com- 
panions who are acquainted with all the pheno- 
mena of nature in these mountain scenes, and who 
delight to tell how far they can leap, and how high 
they can climb, — to what craggy peaks they have 
followed the wild goat, — from which frightful pre- 
cipice they have rescued the unwary stranger, — 
and in how many hair-breadth escapes they have 
taken the boldest and most prominent part. 

Like all the men of this country, he had jet 
black hair, cut close on the top of his head, and 
falling on his neck behind in long flowing curls. 
He wore the flat brown cap so much like the 
Scottish bonnet, a close red w r ool!en jacket, with 
a handsome crimson sash tied round his body, 
brown small-clothes, and brown worsted stockings 
of his own knitting, which seemed from their ex- 
cellent fit to be a continuation of the nether 
garments. They were finished at the foot in the 
fashion of the country, with a sort of frill or 



198 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



fringe, which hangs over the top of the shoe, and 
sets off the form of the ancle to great advantage. 
He was altogether one of the most compact and 
picturesque figures I ever saw ; and he seemed to 
take a peculiar pleasure in placing himself in con- 
spicuous situations, where the agility of his move- 
ments, and the contour of his form, would be 
most likely to be seen and admired. 

We had not walked far this morning without 
being convinced, that a stranger can form but a 
very imperfect idea of the beauties of Eaux 
Bonnes, from a short stay, or a limited view of 
the place. Indeed, you can scarcely walk a dozen 
yards from your door, in any direction, except 
to the Jardin Anglais, without treading on what 
appears almost enchanted ground, so rich is the 
foliage with which the trees are clothed,— so bril- 
liant the green of the many grassy knolls which 
start into view, — so pure and white the foam of the 
crystal stream in its rocky bed, — and so varied the 
innumerable paths which track the sides of the 
hills in every possible direction, sometimes passing 
under the deep shadow of overhanging rocks — 
sometimes winding round the knotted stems of 
ancient and majestic trees — sometimes forming a 
sudden angle on a steep promontory, that juts out 
from the side of a mountain, where a foaming 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



199 



torrent rolls at a far depth below — and sometimes 
leading to a sheltered spot by the side of a magni- 
ficent waterfall, where you may stand in perfect ; 
safety, listening to the ceaseless roar, and watching 
the strife of waters in the gulf beneath. 

It was about the hour of noon when we set out 
on our excursion, first tracing some of these cool 
and enchanting walks, but soon emerging into the 
broad glare of sunshine, which blazed upon the 
southern side of the hill along which we passed. 
The ground was literally smoking and steaming 
after three days of rain ; and as we wound our way 
amongst the green bushes, and over the emerald 
turf, a kind of hot breath, like that from a baker's 
oven, rose into our faces. I began then to ques- 
tion very seriously how it would be possible to 
exist through the summer in this climate; but I 
soon found there were ameliorations to the exces- 
sive heat, with which I had not previously been 
acquainted. The shade, for instance, where we 
find it, is so deep — so refreshing : in the hottest 
weather, there is generally a breeze towards the 
evening; but above all, the air is so light and 
pure, and the atmosphere altogether so invigo- 
rating, that you are neither so depressed by fatigue, 
nor so annoyed by inconveniences, as in the heavier 
climate of England. 



200 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Still there is something rather startling in the 
general state of things, when, as on this day, the 
rocks and stones are literally too hot to sit down 
upon ; and when we see them, as we have fre- 
quently after a gentle rain, and even when the 
sun has not been upon them for hours, sending up 
a white steam, which we were at first at a loss to 
account for. 

Our guide conducted us along a most circuitous 
route, by turns towards every point of the compass, 
either to enhance the value of his own services, or 
to afford him a better opportunity of expatiating 
upon the different mountain peaks which rose in 
abrupt and majestic masses over the nearer hills, 
whose sides we were skirting. Amongst these the 
Pic de Ger is always the most conspicuous, whe- 
ther seen from Pau, or from the immediate neigh- 
bourhood of Eaux Bonnes. It was then partially 
covered with snow ; but it always retains the same 
character — majestic, bleak, and rugged; and when 
the structure of its rocks is visible, it may be dis- 
tinguished by a singular tint approaching to rose 
colour. This mountain rises south-east of Eaux 
Bonnes. More to the eastward is another, of 
singular and majestic form, which we had often ob- 
served from Pau, and remarked particularly for its 
jagged and saw-like summit, one portion of which 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



201 



seems from that distance as if it had been struck 
off by some mighty giant, and left with its high 
sharp spire, pointing upward to the sky. It is 
called the Col de Tortes, from a curious formation 
of the rocks which form its surface. On the 
morning of our walk to the waterfall, it rose 
before us in all its majesty, this mighty cleft 
immediately opposite to the valley along which we 
passed; and while we gazed upon its craggy 
heights, at that time partially covered with snow, 
our guide informed us that between those two 
awful-looking forks, or pinnacles, was a road by 
which travellers sometimes passed to Cauterets. 

From the south side of a high hill, along which 
our guide had very unnecessarily taken us, w T e 
turned to wander over green meadows, towards the 
bed of the stream which winds its w r ay along the 
valley, and amongst the pleasant promenades of 
Eaux Bonnes. All was here so calm and peaceful, 
that no idea could be formed of the proximity of a 
cascade, until we came at once to a deep ravine, 
where a hollow roar announced the tumult of the 
pent-up waters, and we saw a silvery column more 
than seventy feet in height, pitching over the side 
of a perpendicular mass of dark rock, into a 
foaming caldron, from whence it works its way 
through a deep and narrow passage, closed in from 
k 3 



202 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the sunshine by walls of solid rock on either side, 
fringed over at the summit with light and graceful 
foliage. In this narrow bed, the stream seems to 
foam itself to rest, for it is seen in the distance 
still winding its way past one projection of rock 
and then another, until it becomes blue, and calm, 
and peaceful as it was before ; while through the 
same narrow opening, may be seen the distant 
mountains clothed in all the aerial colouring of the 
clouds above. 

From this beautiful scene, we returned by a 
nearer way across the fields, weary, but not dis- 
appointed, and sat down to the table d'hote at our 
hotel ; where, at this early stage of the season, we 
were only joined by one visitor besides our own 
party. 

The cascade we had seen, and which is certainly 
the most beautiful in the neighbourhood of Eaux 
Bonnes, is called the cascade of the Gros-Hetre, 
from a majestic beech recently cut down, which 
stood by the side of the falling water, and bent 
over the abyss. There is another cascade much 
more frequently visited, from its proximity to 
Eaux Bonnes, and to this we went on the fol- 
lowing day, crossing the stream at the bottom of 
the valley, and climbing the adjoining hill, in 
order to see it to greater advantage from a 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



203 



position almost immediately opposite the village. 
The side of the hill over which we rambled is 
composed of a succession of tufted knolls, their 
sloping sides forming pastures of the most brilliant 
green, for herds of mountain sheep, as white as 
the snows of their native wilds. Here, too, was 
the shadow of lofty and umbrageous trees; for 
the vicinity of Eaux Bonnes is remarkable for 
the richness and redundancy of its foliage, per- 
haps superior to that of any other part of the 
Pyrenees. 

On a verdant bank where the brilliant sunshine 
fell amongst these trees, lay an old shepherd of the 
mountains, alternately watching his happy flock, 
and reading a little well-worn book, which he held 
in his hand. He was evidently ill, and the damp 
ground was a couch but little suited to the nature 
of his disease ; for like many of those who lead 
this pastoral life, he appeared to be suffering from 
symptoms of consumption, occasioned most proba- 
bly by constant exposure to the extreme changes 
of the weather. On entering into conversation 
with him, Mr. Ellis found that he w T as reading a 
book of prayers and devotional exercises, of course 
adapted to the creed of his own church ; and that 
he was calmly, and apparently without regret, 
anticipating the close of his earthly pilgrimage, 



204 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



which he knew to be near; while at the same 
time he appeared not to be neglecting, in his 
solitary hours, the contemplation of a world to 
come. How gladly would we have left in his hand 
a book of better instruction, and of higher consola- 
tion than the one he possessed ! but we were at 
that time unprovided with the means. All we 
were able to do was to endeavour, briefly and 
imperfectly, to direct his thoughts to the only true 
foundation of hope in this life, and happiness in 
the life to come. Since this time, measures have 
happily been taken for supplying copies of the 
Holy Scriptures to all who may be found willing 
to receive them, in this and the neighbouring 
valley. 

Before leaving Pau for the mountains, I had 
been so convinced that a few rude sketches to 
take home with me, would be preferable to no 
vestige whatever of the scenes I was about to visit, 
that I determined, amidst many discouragements, 
to make the attempt; and from the pleasure I 
have received from my own small measure of 
success, would earnestly recommend others to do 
the same. It is true that without a strong deter- 
mination to surmount difficulties, the weather will 
always be found too hot, or too cold — the subject 
too large, or too small — the paper, or the colours, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



205 



of the wrong kind ; and above all, — as every idler 
tells you, the time too short. I have no velvet 
couch, no silken canopy, no magical means of 
transmitting pictures upon paper, to propose to my 
countrywomen who may visit the Pyrenees ; but I 
do know that with a tolerable portion of health, 
and strong determination, much may be done to 
gratify the friends who remain at home, as well as 
to preserve memorials of scenes which few of us, 
perhaps, will ever be permitted to behold again. 

I write thus by way of encouragement to the 
young, because it is amongst them I have so often 
heard the complaint, that they cannot draw from 
nature, — that they have never drawn without a 
master; and because I feel sure, that something 
must be wrong in the system of instruction pur- 
sued in our schools, if, after years of expensive 
lessons, after also attaining a degree of excellence 
in the art of copying almost equal to that of the 
master himself, numbers of young ladies loiter up 
and down the promenades of Pau, wishing the 
lovely aspect of the scenes around them could be 
transmitted to their albums, yet never, even at the 
solicitation of their parents, or the entreaties of 
their friends, being induced to attempt even so 
much as a sketch. Of course, I make exceptions 
in these remarks, of those whose health is delicate ; 



206 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



for I am well aware that such necessary exposure 
to the climate as sketching requires, must be 
attended with some risk. 

Before leaving Eaux Bonnes, I was induced to 
make one of my first attempts, though I confess 
the situation kindly chosen for me offered the 
greatest amongst many discouragements, for this 
was no other than the cascade of the Gros Hetre ; 
and, remembering the almost awful solitude of the 
place, as well as the slippery nature of the de- 
clivity by which it is approached, where there is 
no other footing than loose stones and dead leaves, 
sloping " sheer down into the abyss," I felt a little 
strange about the undertaking, and talked about 
the distance, and the clouds betokening rain, and 
many other objections, without betraying my real 
one — that I was afraid. 

Mr. Ellis, however, well assured there was no 
real danger, and wholly unacquainted with my fears, 
was not to be diverted from his object, and we 
both set out, carrying a little basket with colours, 
and all things requisite ; and after tracing the 
course of the stream, climbing the green knolls, 
and passing the little shepherds' huts so thickly 
scattered along the smiling valleys, we reached 
again what was to be the scene of my presump- 
tuous undertaking. I have always maintained, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



207 



that in a certain degree of danger there is a vague 
feeling of enjoyment; and though I have seldom 
felt more nervous than on this occasion, I have 
seldom passed a pleasanter day. With some diffi- 
culty I had been persuaded to descend half-way 
down the declivity by the side of the torrent, so 
near, that the spray sometimes annoyed me a good 
deal. Here, on shelving stones, and slender twigs 
of box, my companion placed a piece of rotten 
wood, which gave way with my first attempt to sit 
down ; but he built the fabric up again, and 
though my feet were only supported by leaves 
and loose fragments, and the foaming caldron was 
immediately below me, I not only arranged all 
my drawing apparatus around me, but remained 
so fixed for the space of three hours, in which 
time I had completed a very humble representa- 
tion of the scene. 

I confess there were moments when my courage 
nearly failed me ; and if I had not been equally 
afraid to scramble up or down, I might have 
quitted my post, particularly when left to myself, 
the place seemed altogether so intensely lonely. 
It seemed to me as if in that great turmoil of the 
waters, there must be some mysterious power 
that would arise from the abyss, and make itself 
visible to my outward senses. Once or twice, the 



208 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



wind having changed for a moment, the sound 
of the torrent changed with it, the spray flying off 
in a different direction; and then it was that I 
would most gladly have heard a human voice in 
my solitude. All this while, however, I was in no 
sort of danger, beyond that which my imagination 
conjured up ; unless it was the danger of being 
startled by the approach of the French gentleman, 
our companion at table, who came with one of 
his friends to the brink of the cascade, for the 
simple purpose of passing the time by throwing 
stones into the bed of the torrent. Happily, 
however, I had heard their voices, and that of 
Mr. Ellis, as they approached. 

In the mean time, Mr. Ellis had enjoyed a 
refreshing bath in the stream above, where it 
flows under a thick canopy of spreading trees, 
hemmed in by projecting rocks. We were not 
aware at that time, that his exploit was considered 
one of extreme danger by the country people, who 
never bathe in the water from the melting snow, 
nor even drink it, where it can be avoided, be- 
lieving it to be the cause of those frightful goitres, 
which disfigure nearly the whole population of some 
of the valleys. Those of the valley d'Ossau however, 
are, for the most part, exempt from this disease. 

They are, in fact, a much finer race of people 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



209 



than their neighbours to the eastward, from whom 
they are separated by a barrier of mountains, im- 
passable to the ordinary traveller, except through 
the giant cleft I have already described. The 
peasants of the valley d'Ossau, as in other parts of 
the Pyrenees, are almost all proprietors of little 
plots of ground, which they cultivate with great 
industry, in order that the produce of their short 
summer may be sufficient for their maintenance 
through the winter months. Maize is their chief 
article of consumption, and when the flour of this 
valuable grain is boiled either with milk or water, 
it makes an excellent and wholesome porridge, 
very superior to that which is made from oatmeal 
in the north of England. The maize is sown in 
the month of May, and gathered later in the 
autumn than any other grain, yielding a harvest 
of much greater quantity, in proportion to the 
seed originally sown, besides supplying, with its 
leaves and stalks, excellent food and litter for the 
cattle. 

The population of the valley d'Ossau is about 
16,000, a large proportion of which are herdsmen 
or pastors, who, during the summer months, live 
entirely amongst the distant heights of the moun- 
tains, to which they conduct their numerous flocks, 
and remain with them until the snows of autumn 



210 



SUMMER AND WINTEF 



force them to descend. This valley has its natural 
boundary of sterile mountains, hemming it in to 
the east and the west, and sometimes reducing it 
to a very narrow compass. Southward it extends 
beyond the Pic du Midi, to the frontiers of 
Spain, while to the northward it lays claim to a 
considerable tract of country north and north-east 
of Pau. Of this extent of ground but a very small 
proportion is cultivated, and that in such a mannet 1 
as barely to meet the wants of the occupants, 
who are consequently but little acquainted with 
the luxuries and refinements of life. The influx 
of strangers, year by year increasing, appears to 
have introduced no improvement in their domestic 
habits, or the mode of cultivating their land ; and 
the supply of provisions for the visitors is conse- 
quently limited to the mere necessaries of life ; nor 
are these to be obtained except by paying a some- 
what exorbitant price. With the same facilities 
for enjoyment, — the same advantages in the resto- 
ration of health, — scenery which never tires, — and 
a climate which of itself is enough to constitute 
enjoyment, — what a country this might become, if 
the peasants could be inspired with a little praise- 
worthy ambition, and at the same time retain 
their simplicity ! 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



211 



Already, however, the first seeds of a new order 
of things are beginning to take root, where one 
would least wish to find them. Their characteristic 
costume, so admirably suited to their mountain 
wilds, is becoming gradually supplanted by articles 
of dress more commonly used in other countries, 
though on their fete days, and all grand occasions, 
they still wear the habiliments peculiar to their own 
valley. Amongst the amusements of Eaux Bonnes, 
it is a favourite one with the visitors to watch the 
games of these hardy and athletic people, whose 
accustomed sports are so much in keeping with 
the peculiar kind of life they lead. Hunting the 
izard, a kind of wild goat, or chamois, which fre- 
quents the high mountains, is one in which they 
are extremely expert; and not less fond of con- 
ducting the adventurous stranger who may wish 
to trust himself to their guidance, in pursuit of 
these animals. Of their exploits with the bears, 
too, great wonders are told, though this latter 
amusement becomes a much more serious affair ; 
and the descent of these animals amongst their 
flocks is attended with very serious loss. 

Their favourite games are almost universally 
such as require an uncommon display of agility 
and strength. I will mention only two. One is 



212 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



a race up the steep side of a mountain, to obtain, 
not the wreath, but the branches of victory, which 
at the summit of the hill are awarded to the most 
swift of foot. Another is a little more extra- 
ordinary, and requires caution as well as speed. 
It consists in having eighty eggs laid on the ground, 
in the street of Eaux Bonnes, at the distance of 
one foot from each other. It is then decided by 
lot what shepherd shall gather these eggs into his 
basket, without breaking one, during the time that 
the remaining number of youths can run from 
Eaux Bonnes to the nearest village, and back 
again. This distance is so well proportioned to 
the time required for gathering the eggs, that the 
two parties are said seldom to vary more than a 
minute ; but the chance is, that, as time advances, 
the man who gathers the eggs will throw them in 
too quickly, and thus defeat his own ends. 

The amusements which prevail amongst the 
visitors at Eaux Bonnes, are of a very different 
order. Within the salons a miniature Paris exists ; 
and the balls, and other evening entertainments, 
are said to be scarcely rivalled by those of the 
most fashionable cities. Our friends, who re- 
mained there, and whose habits were as domestic 
and as exclusive as our own, found it not difficult, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



213 



however, to hold themselves distinct from this kind 
of society ; though I still think that the number of 
fashionable loungers must in some measure detract 
from the enjoyment of mountain scenery. 

It is pitiful in all these places to see what they 
call the Jardin Anglais. But even this might have 
its use, in operating as a wholesome warning against 
some of our own futile imitations of what is French. 

Our friends, Mr. and Mrs. W , whom we 

left at Eaux Bonnes, enjoyed the enviable ad- 
vantage of botanical taste, and considerable know- 
ledge of plants, which of all sources of amusement, 
is, to an invalid so circumstanced, perhaps the 
most desirable. Walking, even in the loveliest 
scenery, becomes irksome, if exercise is the only 
object ; but the botanist is beguiled onwards with 
a never-ceasing fascination, yet so leisurely as to 
prevent fatigue ; and when his strength is unequal 
to excursions of higher attainment, he can find 
beauties in the humblest path. 

From its immense variety of walks, neither too 
difficult, nor too much exposed to the sun, Eaux 
Bonnes is perhaps the most eligible residence for 
a botanist, of all the places of resort amongst the 
Pyrenees. Here too, he may enjoy the advantage 
of conversing with a man of that order of natural 



214 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



genius, which is scarcely met with more than once 
in the course of an ordinary life. 

Pierrine Gaston, a native of the little village of 
Beost in Ossau, a man of respectable but humble 
parentage, was brought up to the life of a shepherd. 
He obtained while at school, as most of the peasant 
men of this neighbourhood do, a sufficient know- 
ledge of the French language for the common 
purposes of life. In familiar conversation, he and 
his family still speak the patois of the country. 
While following the occupation of tending his 
sheep amongst the mountains, he amused himself 
with the collection and examination of plants, and 
first became distinguished by his knowledge of their 
medicinal properties. Not satisfied with this, he 
obtained an old work of Linnaeus on botany, and 
in order to understand it, purchased a Latin dic- 
tionary, which he found on a book-stall at Pau, for 
the price of nine sous. With these scanty means 
he commenced his botanical career. He was then 
thirty years of age, he is now thirty-nine, and has 
in his possession a valuable collection of plants, 
amounting to three thousand specimens, accurately 
designated according to their class and order. All 
who seek his acquaintance from a real interest in 
this science, find him an intelligent and agreeable 
companion, combining all the delightful simplicity 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



215 



of his unsophisticated life, with the dignity of native 
genius, and the politeness of a true gentleman. 

Nor are his talents confined to this branch of 
study alone. He is a very skilful musician, and 
when our friends visited him, which they did at his 
paternal home, where his venerable parents are still 
living, they saw a kind of harp, and a violin, with 
other musical instruments of his own making. His 
residence is a large farm-house, such as is usually 
occupied by cultivators of the soil whose circum- 
stances are easy, and comparatively affluent. His 
house and premises appeared to be well stocked 
with servants and cattle, and on one occasion when 
our friends visited him, they saw in the yard the 
process going on, by which horses are made to tread 
out the corn, by being driven about in a yard 
where it is strewn. 

In returning this visit, Pierrine Gaston drank tea 
with our friends at Eaux Bonnes, when he remarked 
w T ith great simplicity, that he had never tasted tea 
but once before, on which occasion he had eaten it 
dry. We had afterwards the pleasure of meeting 
him at their house, and a great treat it was, for his 
appearance in every respect, equals the idea one 
would form of such a character. His figure is 
above six feet in height, thin, agile, and admirably 
formed. His jet black hair, which hangs in loose 



216 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



curls upon his shoulders, is cut close in front, and 
this he told us was the custom of the country, be- 
cause of the habit the peasants have, of carrying 
immense bundles of hay and straw upon their 
heads, and the necessity there is for them to see 
straight before them. He wore that day, a short 
blue jacket, with a handsome sash of crimson silk 
tied round his body. But his majestic brown cap, 
which he kept on even in the house, from a habit 
he had acquired in consequence of the keenness of 
the mountain air, was the most- striking part of his 
costume, and harmonized with his appearance 
better than any other could have done, by casting 
a deep shadow over the thoughtful expression of his 
interesting face. His countenance was entirely one 
of the valley d'Ossau : his nose slightly aquiline, his 
eyes quick and intelligent, his eyebrows clearly pen- 
cilled and a good deal arched, and his regular, white 
teeth, the most beautiful I ever saw. His move- 
ments, which were as rapid as expressive, were at 
once dignified and graceful ; but the most extra- 
ordinary feature in his behaviour was, that seeing 
the floor half covered with a carpet, he could on 
no account be induced to tread upon that part, 
until he had taken off his shoes, which he placed 
under a chair, and resumed when he went away. 
On this occasion also, he appeared to be very 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



217 



much in the dark with regard to our manner of 
taking tea, for when the lady of the house asked 
him in the morning if he would come and drink 
tea with them in the evening, he thanked her and 
refused, saying he had already taken some that 
day. When the cup was placed before him in the 
evening, he plunged into it a large piece of bread, 
and as soon as it was emptied, at once returned it 
to the tray, and rose up to go away. What a plea- 
sure I thought it would be, to show to such a man 
all that is worth seeing in our own country ; yet if 
that would endanger his simplicity, far better that 
he should remain where he is, unacquainted with 
the world which lies beyond his native mountains. 

Eaux Bonnes is not a place for distant views, 
nor yet for that sublime and majestic scenery which 
is found in many other parts of the Pyrenees ; but 
for a protracted residence it is said to be more 
agreeable than any, and certainly combines the 
beauties of all, on a miniature scale. Having satis- 
fied our curiosity with exploring its immediate 
neighbourhood, we directed our course again to 
Eaux Chaudes, and set out to walk to that place, 
a distance of about five miles, one beautiful morn- 
ing when the weather was less intensely hot than it 
had previously been, owing to the gathering of dark 
clouds which betokened rain. 

L 



218 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



At a little distance from the entrance of the 
gorge, I climbed up a ridge of rocks> and amused 
myself with sketching a view of the valley d'Ossau, 
which from this point appears to peculiar advantage; 
the mountains with their rocky summits rising like 
mighty barriers on either side, the blue river, 
winding its serpentine course along the valley; and 
immediately to the left, as if guarding the pass, a 
majestic mass of richly- coloured rocks, presenting 
every variety of tint, from the deepest purple, to 
the brightest yellow, and the liveliest green. I was 
delightfully situated, except that troops of wild- 
looking Spaniards rather startled me as they wound 
their way along the path at my feet, driving their 
mules through the rocky gorge, from which I was 
distant only about a hundred yards. A peasant 
woman too, of no very pleasing aspect, came and 
put all sorts of puzzling questions to me about my 
husband, and condoled with me in so sympa- 
thising a manner on the misery of being left alone, 
that I was quite afraid she meant to spend the day 
with me. 

The people here, however, are remarkably civil 
and inoffensive, and you may wander or repose in 
perfect peace and safety amongst their rocks and 
hills, provided you do not mind a group of little 
girls coming to peep over your work, giggling and 



IN THE PYRENEES. 219 

running away, and then peeping again, with their 
bright black eyes, shaded by their little red hoods. 
A shepherd-boy, too, will often come and throw 
himself down on the grass beside you, watching the 
progress of your pencil ; and they are all, when 
young, such beautiful creatures, that the only ob- 
jection to their presence is, you are tempted to look 
at them instead of the landscape. The men are a 
fine race, and the pastoral life they lead, gives them 
a simplicity, accompanied with a habit of observa- 
tion, which raises them far above what is either 
gross or vulgar. But the youths, half men and 
half boys, are the most beautiful specimens of 
human nature I have ever seen ; and if I were to 
select a subject for a painter, as a personification of 
glowing health and buoyant youth, chastened by 
the simplicity of an unambitious and inoffensive 
life, it would be one of the shepherd boys of the 
valley d'Ossau. Would that the women were of 
the same grade, but even the little girls make one 
sad to think of the hard fate to which they are 
destined, and the women make one sadder still, to 
see to what condition they are reduced. It is 
always said in relation to their occupations, that use 
is every thing, and that hard labour is no hardship 
to women who are inured to it from childhood ; 
but I cannot be made to believe, that ever the 
l 2 



220 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



bodily functions of women are such as fit them for 
this excessive toil ; and while expending their youth 
and their strength in labour which ought to be per- 
formed by men, they must necessarily neglect those 
happier and more delicate offices of domestic life, 
which even in the humblest station ought to be their 
province. 

The clouds, which had looked threatening all the 
morning, began, at last, to roll up the valley in dark 
and heavy masses, while peals of distant thunder 
warned me that it was high time to make the best 
of rny way to a place of shelter. The purple and 
singularly coloured mountain before me, with its 
head wrapped in clouds, looked absolutely black 
below, and the dark ravines which plough its 
rugged sides, assumed the appearance of deep 
gulfs, or yawning caverns. With all nature growing 
every moment more gloomy around me, I turned 
alone into the narrow pass, where the blast which 
precedes a storm, was already sweeping through. 
I was able, however, to reach Eaux Chaudes 
before the rain fell heavily, and turning again 
into the little inn where we had first made our 
acquaintance with mountain fare, I was much 
struck with the difference of accommodation be- 
tween this place and Eaux Bonnes. 

Notwithstanding this difference, however, I must 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



221 



always give the preference to Eaux Chaudes ; if 
for no other reason, because it is a place without 
pretension. It asserts no claim to distinction, for 
any thing but what it really is ; in short, it is not 
Parisian. It is a noble mountain pass, connecting 
France with Spain ; and if its waters are healing, 
and its baths superb, they rest upon their own 
merits, unsolicitous to assume any other. 

With regard to the medicinal properties of these, 
as well as other waters in the Pyrenees, I shall not 
presume to offer any remarks. A partial state- 
ment of their merits would be of little use, and a 
more lengthened one would most probably be 
erroneous. There are descriptions of their che- 
mical properties, with opinions as to their general 
use, in most of the guide books which relate to 
these places ; but beyond this, there is at each of 
the celebrated springs, a medical gentleman, ap- 
pointed and paid by government, whose advice it 
is extremely desirable to take, before making any 
use of the waters, many lamentable consequences 
having accrued from individuals having used them 
without proper caution. Those whose partialities 
lean to the advice of an English doctor, may ob- 
tain all requisite information on the subject, from 
one, who, with his amiable family, has for several 
years been a resident at Pau, and who has made 



222 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



himself intimately acquainted with the properties 
and the use of these waters. They will also find, 
that he has the happy art of blending all the kind- 
ness of friendship with the solicitude of a medical 
adviser. 

A thunder-storm in the Pyrenees is seldom 
succeeded, as in England, by brighter skies and 
lovelier weather than before ; L on the contrary, 
it is almost invariably followed by a continuation of 
cold and heavy rain. It was so on our arrival at 
Eaux Chaudes, nor was it until the afternoon of the 
following day, that we could venture out. Even 
then the mountain tops were still enveloped in 
thick clouds; but time with us was too precious to 
be wasted, and we set off with some friends from 
England, whom we had happily met with at our 
inn, to trace the mountain road farther up the 
valley leading to the Pic du Midi de Pau. 

The road from Eaux Chaudes to Gabas, the last 
French village on that route, is justly considered 
one of the most sublime and beautiful amongst the 
Pyrenees. Even while the mountains were par- 
tially concealed, we were so beguiled by the gran- 
deur and novelty of the scene, as to be led on from 
one point of eminence to another, until at last, 
finding ourselves too distant to return to dinner, 
we determined to proceed to Gabas, the road to 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



223 



which is one continued ascent of seven or eight 
miles, so steep, as to be considered no trifling 
undertaking with a carriage. 

Lovely and enchanting as the first part of our 
excursion had been, the last mile was wild and 
dreary in the extreme. We had ascended so high, 
that the mists were rolling around us, while all 
along the precipitous defile, the wreck of shattered 
pines and timber, blocking up the course of the 
torrents, indicated the prevalence of frightful storms 
in these desolate regions. 

A livelier scene was presented by the flocks and 
herds which thronged the path on their way to the 
pasturage of the mountains, each little company of 
shepherds seldom consisting of more than three or 
four, driving along with them a single horse, laden 
with all their domestic apparatus for at least three 
months. Amongst these articles, we saw invariably 
a large brass pan or caldron, and a few other vessels 
for making their cheese ; but for luxury, or even 
for comfort, there was nothing. In many instances 
the shepherds themselves carry on their backs every 
article for their summer use ; while their flocks are 
always accompanied by goats, which furnish a supply 
of milk for them and their mountain dogs. 

At Gabas is an establishment of government 
officers, for the purpose of protecting the revenue 



224 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



which France derives from the traffic with Spain. 
It is stated that 15,000 mules pass annually along 
this route, into Spain. Had we set out, as many 
visitors do, from Eaux Chaudes, for the purpose of 
reaching the Pic du Midi, we should have been 
stopped at this place for our passports. Our object, 
however, was merely to obtain refreshment, and 
the single auberge in the wretched-looking village, 
half filled as it was with Spaniards and Bearnais 
shepherds, whose flocks were browsing round the 
door, presented no cheering promise of the enter- 
tainment to be found within. 

We entered this auberge through a stable, where 
the mules were feeding, and were ushered into a 
low but spacious chamber over the stable. This 
apartment was lighted only by one small window 
and a blazing wood fire in a snug recess, beside 
which were seated on a long bench, men, women, 
and children, evidently travellers ; but where from, 
or where to, it was impossible to imagine, from 
their extraordinary costume, rendered still more 
striking by the red glare of the blazing fire. 

It was worth walking to Gabas, to see the tall, 
majestic-looking woman who cooked our dinner, 
with her crimson hood folded almost in the style of 
a turban round her head, her short full petticoat 
of massive folds, her close cloth jacket, and the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



225 



glittering cross that hung suspended from her neck ; 
while other figures of inferior importance, though 
scarcely less striking, moved about with their long 
white capulets, giving them a mysterious and ghost- 
like appearance. Strange, wild-looking men, too, 
who might have been banditti from the other side 
of the frontier, were seen emerging from dark re- 
cesses, or standing about in those majestic attitudes 
which the Spaniards always assume. It was a 
scene, altogether, never to be forgotten ; and even 
when we entered a more private chamber, there 
lay the black velvet conical hats of Spain, the 
sandals, and woollen mantles worn by travellers of 
that country; with a vast variety of things, that 
looked not only foreign, but suspicious, to our un- 
accustomed eyes. 

Although the outward aspect of the place was 
so unpromising, it was soon evident that many a 
weary traveller had halted at that house of enter- 
tainment ; and we read at once, in the aspect of the 
cook, and the magnitude of her culinary apparatus, 
that we had nothing to fear. And so it proved ; 
for her dinner, to appetites sharpened by the moun- 
tain air, was excellent. The cloth had been spread 
for us in a little chamber, and here we had as 
usual, the same abundant supply of clean table 
napkins, and silver forks. Our first dish was an 
l 3 



226 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



omelette, and the first I ever liked ; then followed 
trout, which is almost always abundant amongst the 
mountains then a leg, or rather hind quarter of 
salted goose, well boiled; and what else I really 
forget, but I know we were so refreshed, as to set 
out on our walk back to Eaux Chaudes, with con- 
siderable elasticity and vigour. 

Late as it was when we arrived, we had sufficient 
daylight by the way, to see the evening milking of 
the goats, which the shepherds had driven together 
for that purpose ; and never do these picturesque 
animals look more beautiful, than when the drowsy 
hour of twilight comes on, and they sink to sleep 
amongst the bushes of box and fern, or stretch 
their limbs for the last time before reposing for the 
night, on some bank of green moss, or promontory 
of grey stone. 

The brilliance of the following day revealed so 
many wonders, which the mists of the preceding 
one had hidden from our eyes, that we were de- 
termined to retrace our steps along the road to 
Gabas, where we found that the scene was rendered 
almost entirely new to us, by the sunshine of a 
cloudless sky. We had taken the precaution this 
morning, to deposit in a basket, the remainder of 
an overabundant breakfast; for in France there 
prevails a very convenient notion, that all which 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



227 



remains on the table of an inn, even the sugar and 
the dessert, is the property of the traveller. We 
were consequently independent of time and place, 
^nd had nothing to do but spend the day as the 
inclination of the moment might dictate. It proved, 
however, to be a day of that intense and peculiar 
kind of heat, when the sunshine seems to cling to 
you like a hot garment, and once or twice in the 
lowest part of the valley, we almost despaired of 
reaching a celebrated point of view, at the distance 
of five miles. Yet the variety, the beauty, and the 
grandeur of the scene, were such as to beguile us 
almost unconsciously, up the long and steep ascent. 
Behind us were bold barriers of mountain, their 
outlines intersecting each other as they shut in the 
track along the gorge ; to the right were inaccessi- 
ble heights, their hoary summits clothed with pine, 
and their rugged sides broken into thousands of 
dark defiles, down many of which impetuous 
steams were pouring, till they joined the foaming 
waters of the river, which ran immediately at our 
left. Over the bed of this river, the richest and 
most graceful foliage was drooping, amongst which 
were seen, jutting out into the sunshine, enormous 
blocks of richly-coloured slate and marble, some- 
times at a prodigious height, forming a long line of 
perpendicular or overhanging walls; while these 



228 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



again, fringed with foliage, formed the foundation 
of another, and then another still, until the mighty 
fabric seemed as if erected to support the skies. 

Beyond these shelving and woody heights, was 
a higher mountain, distinct and of peculiar forma- 
tion, almost entirely bare up to its bold summit, 
with neither tree, nor shepherd's dwelling, nor 
pasturage even for the wild goat ; yet even more 
irregular in its form, and brilliant in its colouring, 
than those more richly clothed. Beyond this, 
and separated only by a deep gorge, was another, 
presenting a still greater contrast — massive, dark, 
and solemn. Above its towering pinnacles, two 
eagles were floating, wheeling their flight, which 
Byron has ; called " happy," because " highest into 
heaven," without a flutter ; for this is the distinc- 
tion, and a noble and characteristic one it is, be- 
tween this and other birds, that the eagle soars 
without ever fluttering its wings, 

And then below us all the while, far down in a 
deep still valley, the blue stream was sweeping 
amongst verdant meadows, or foaming along its 
pent-up passage through the rocks; while shep- 
herds' cottages were scattered here and there upon 
its banks, with one small village and its rustic 
bridge, the central point, from whence diverged 
innumerable mountain paths. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 229 

But how shall I describe the fairy work of na- 
ture, immediately around our feet, in all the 
tempting ways we traversed ? The crevices of the 
rocks sometimes made purple with the deep- 
coloured gentian, and starting out beneath the 
boldest masses, a flower resembling a violet, which 
is altogether the most beautiful specimen of flower, 
and stalk, and leaves, which the imagination can 
conceive; with a thousand others, equally new, 
though none so beautiful as this; for not only 
the earth, but the apparently sterile rocks, on a 
nearer examination, seem to teem with vegetable 
life. Besides the flowers, the trees and shrubs, 
to me always the most welcome and beautiful 
of all the treasures of nature, though certainly 
less majestic in their foliage, and less sombre in 
shadow here, than in England, are yet more wild 
and free, and consequently more picturesque. 
Over the bed of the roaring torrent, you sometimes 
see the most elegant branches of the birch, drooping 
like those of the weeping willow. The beech is the 
tree which grows most luxuriantly on the sides of 
the hills, while in higher regions, the venerable oak 
is often seen stretching its green boughs across 
some dark ravine; and higher still, the gloomy 
pine, not unfrequently twisted and riven, or torn 
from its hold by the violence of the winter storms. 



230 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



But a very imperfect idea of this scenery would 
be formed, without picturing those innumerable 
green slopes and tufted knolls, to which the painter's 
art is so unequal ; and it is chiefly these peculiar 
spots which give so much of their Arcadian character 
to the Pyrenees. In the sunshine of the climate, 
these green islands of the wilderness seem to glow 
with every tint, from green to gold ; while down 
their verdant sides is often seen the long slanting 
shadow of tall trees, or those of the shepherd and 
his peaceful flock. I know not how this character 
of the scenery has appeared to others, but to me it 
has seemed but little stretch of the imagination, to 
suppose it was amongst such scenes, that our first 
parents held their innocent and happy communion 
with angels, before a leaf had faded in paradise, 
or the springs of human life had been tainted by 
disease. 

Loitering along through this region of beauty, 
we reached at last the eminence, where the road 
making a sudden bend, you come at once in 
sight of the Pic du Midi, rearing its cloven crest 
at the extremity of the defile. Here, on looking 
back, we perceived that dark clouds were gathering 
behind us ; but taking courage from the shepherds, 
who told us the rain would not fall for some time 
yet, we sat down to rest by the side of the road, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



231 



with the stream, which is here almost overhung by 
pines, roaring at the bottom of a tremendous 
ravine beneath our feet. The clouds now became 
blacker ; and a distant roll of thunder in the direc- 
tion of Eaux Chaudes, reminded us that we had 
five long miles to walk, with the probability of 
meeting the storm by the way. We therefore 
resumed our route, and found that a gusty wind 
had already begun to whirl the dust and the dead 
leaves in ominous circles along our path. But still 
our steps were arrested as if by enchantment ; for, 
turning back from the brow of the hill, a scene 
presented itself never to be forgotten. All the 
vivid lights were gone. The stream lay at the 
bottom of the dark valley, like a bed of white 
foam, the trees seemed to shiver and rustle with 
an instinctive sort of terror ; and the great moun- 
tains, in the morning so clear and bright, were 
turned into huge masses of blackness and gloom ; 
while the gorge in the distance, through which we 
had to pass, was completely filled with dark rolling 
clouds. The rain soon began to fall in torrents ; 
the lightning flashed before us; and the thunder 
peals became louder and louder; while their 
lengthened echoes, mingling with the roar of the 
torrent, seemed to roll back from side to side in 
the narrow and now darkened ravine. 



232 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



The road by this time had become like a river , 
yet we reached our hotel in perfect safety, and 
rose the next morning with considerable regret, to 
think our stay at Eaux Chaudes had reached its 
utmost limit. We did not leave, however, before 
Mr. Ellis had found an opportunity of exploring 
the grotto, which is justly considered as one of the 
greatest wonders of this place. It is situated 
nearly at the summit of a mountain, in the wall 
of richly-coloured slate, which I have described 
as rising amongst terraces of foliage, immediately 
to our left, when we walked to Gabas. Within the 
hollow of the grotto, a cascade is heard to pour its 
hidden waters, which a little lower down the side 
of the hill, emerge from their obscurity, and form 
one of those beautiful waterfalls with which the 
sides of the valleys are diversified. 

I have said that there is a mountain pass over 
the Col de Tortes to Cauterets, thus affording the 
means of communication with other parts of the 
Pyrenees most frequently visited. To me, how- 
ever, it appeared far preferable to pursue our tour 
to these places, by returning along the more easy 
and ordinary route to Pau. We therefore left our 
hotel by diligence, and though we travelled in a 
pouring rain, had no occasion to regret the choice 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



233 



we had made ; for we afterwards learned, from one 
of the friends we left at Eaux Bonnes, who made 
the experiment of the mountain pass, that it was 
difficult and fatiguing in tne extreme. 



234 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



CHAPTER IX. 

JOURNEY TO ARGELEZ HOTELS IN THE PYRENEES — 

MOUNTAIN PASS FROM PIER REFITTE TO LUZ 

VALLEY OF LUZ — ST. SAUVEUR — GAVARNIE — PAS- 
SAGE OF THE TOURMALET, AND ARRIVAL AT 
BAGNERES DE BIGORRE. 

On the 13th of June we again left Pau, with 
the intention of prosecuting our tour through the 
mountains. The morning was beautiful, and as 
on this occasion we were a party of three, a saddle 
horse, and a light open conveyance, had been 
engaged to take us as far as Argelez, in the day. 
To accomplish this journey, however, it was neces- 
sary to be early on the road, which was also ren- 
dered still more desirable by the excessive heat of 
the weather. At five o'clock I looked out, and saw 
beneath our window the carriage which was to 
convey us a day's journey on our route ; and which 
it required some ingenuity to identify with the 
many encomiums its owner had bestowed upon it 
the previous day. It was innocent of paint, except 



IN THE FY REN EES. 



235 



that a sort of behind part, which stood out to a 
considerable distance, like a large box, was a bright 
sky blue. The reins and traces were of rope ; and 
when the driver, a large broad-shouldered man, 
seated himself before us on the board at our feet, 
with his legs hanging down beneath the tail of the 
horse, and set off in the usual French style, with 
whoop, and slash, and rattle, over the stones of 
Pau, we were not sorry to think it was too early in 
the morning for us to be likely to meet with any 
of our acquaintance there. 

Early as it was, the washers by the bridge 
leading to Bizanos, were all at their accustomed 
work ; for theirs is an occupation which knows no 
cessation, either for the summer's heat, or the 
winter's cold. They seldom wash in the Gave, or in 
any stream from melted snow ; but this little river, 
the Ousse, which flows from the nearer hills, and 
joins the Gave, at the bridge of Pau, is said to be 
more favourable for their employment ; and I have 
seen as many as six and twenty women in one 
continued line, washing in its waters, besides a 
great many other groups in different stations on its 
banks ; while the whole village of Bizanos, — its 
fields and hedges, and much of the surrounding 
plains, were white with the linen bleaching in the 
sun. The great mystery is, how these poor women 



236 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



can continue their operations through the severest 
winter weather. I have seen them standing bare- 
foot in the water, when the snow was on the 
ground, and a sharp north-east wind blowing; 
their aprons and petticoats literally dripping ; and 
no refreshment during the whole day, but dry 
bread, onions, and sour wine. Yet they sat down 
in groups upon the ground, while they ate this 
pitiful repast, and chatted, and laughed with as 
much apparent enjoyment, as half-a-dozen English 
washerwomen over their lengthened tea, with the 
bright blaze of a kitchen fire sending its comfort 
to their hearts all the while. 

It was the loveliest hour of morning as we 
passed these familiar groups, now somewhat more 
in their element; for the bright sun was upon 
them, and the mountains to our right were just 
looking so as to make one's heart ache to be 
leaving them behind. Well has the language of 
poetry spoken of " making friends with mountains." 
It would be difficult to describe in what manner 
this mysterious friendship steals upon us; yet 
few persons, I imagine, have dwelt long in the 
neighbourhood of mountains, without having felt 
its power. 

As the day advanced, it became one of the 
hottest we had yet experienced; and, our route 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



237 



lying entirely along the course of the valley, we 
had the full benefit of the sun, without a breath of 
wind. Our first halting place was at Betharam, 
where there is a bridge over the Gave de Pau, so 
beautiful, that almost every one who visits this 
place brings away a sketch of it. It consists of 
one simple arch ; but the festoons of ivy with which 
it is adorned, constitute its chief merit, as a subject 
for the painter. 

The sanctuary of Notre Dame, at Betharam, is 
a place of great celebrity amongst the devotees, 
who make an annual pilgrimage to this place in 
the month of August. Many miracles are said to 
have been wrought here; and the pilgrims who 
flock hither in great numbers, seldom return 
without having purchased some of the trinkets 
which are always exposed for sale beside the door 
of the church. They consist of rosaries, crosses, 
rings, and amulets : all having been blessed at some 
shrine, and some of them even by his Holiness 
himself. The church is a handsome and venerable 
edifice, with a good deal of curious and ornamental 
sculpture and masonry about the principal en- 
trance. But the wonder and admiration of the 
country people, is perhaps more excited by a 
succession of little chapels, or stations, placed at 
every point of a zigzag path leading up the side of 



238 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



an adjoining hill, in each of which is displayed a 
group of figures, carved in wood, as large as life, 
and painted in all the colours of the rainbow, re- 
presenting different scenes connected with the 
crucifixion of our Saviour — all as hideous and 
grotesque as it would be possible to make them. 
Yet here we saw a poor woman counting her 
beads, and looking as serious and devout as if she 
had been treading the ground of the real Calvary, 
the name by which this place is known. 

On leaving Betharam, we passed over the beau- 
tiful bridge, and from that point entered the de- 
partment of the High Pyrenees. Our course now 
lay along a richly cultivated valley, with the cool 
river running immediately on our right, while on 
our left, reflecting the intense heat of the after- 
noon sun, was a range of little vine-covered hills, 
just high enough to prevent a breath of air reaching 
us from that quarter. We were really in distress, 
but there was no help for it. Such was our situa- 
tion, that even when we got out to walk up the hot 
hills, it was some relief to be in action ; for I have 
always found that in sitting still with nothing to 
do, the heat is most intolerable. 

At the distance of about twenty miles from Pau, 
we came in sight of the curious and ancient castle 
of Lourdes, which, when seen from this position, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



239 



has a most striking and imposing effect. It is 
built on the summit of a bold mass of rock, en- 
tirely without verdure on that side, and so situated 
as to appear to be guarding the mountain pass to 
the valley of Lavedon and Argelez. We expected 
to stop here ; but our conductor persisted in going 
on to Argelez, eight miles farther: he therefore 
flogged his reluctant horse through the town ; after 
leaving which, we again crossed the Gave, and 
entered upon the scene so justly celebrated for its 
beauty, and preferred by most travellers to all 
others in the Pyrenees — the valley of Argelez. 

It is indeed a paradise, but so entirely composed 
of rich corn-fields, verdant woods, and mountains 
towering to the sky, that to succeed in any detailed 
description of it, would be impossible. We were 
also a little too w 7 arm to be able to do it justice, 
even in our own appreciation of its merits; for 
there is a degree of heat that melts down one's 
enthusiasm. Besides which, I was suffering great 
anxiety on account of Mr. Ellis, whose exposure 
to the intense rays of the sun, in his precarious 
state of health, was attended with real danger ; and 
the event sufficiently proved his inability to sustain 
it without serious consequences. I am the more 
particular in mentioning these circumstances, be- 
cause I feel convinced, that none but those who 



240 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



are in robust health, or at all events, who are 
unaccustomed to painful affections of the head, 
can really enjoy a hurried tour through the Pyre- 
nees, during the heat of summer ; and that without 
great care, such an excursion must be attended 
with danger. Our conductor through the valley 
of Argelez, was one of that numerous class of 
Frenchmen, who, rather than say they do not 
know, will answer your questions in any manner 
that occurs to them, no matter how improbable, or 
how far removed from the truth. He, like our- 
selves, had never travelled that route before : yet 
whenever we asked him the name of a place, he 
called it something which suited his fancy at the 
moment, and sometimes gave it the name of 
another place which we knew to be twenty miles 
off. Argelez, the place we were most anxious to 
reach, was the only one he confessed he did not 
know ; though he only acknowledged his ignorance 
so far as to say, that he did not at that moment 
recollect the name ; and we should certainly have 
driven through it, weary as we were, had we 
not asked a boy in the street what place we had 
come to. 

I have seldom been more disappointed, than on 
reaching this dirty little town, in the midst of so 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



241 



beautiful a valley. The thing one most longs for, 
after such a journey, is plenty of water for a good 
refreshing wash. But this is seldom to be met 
with at the inns in this part of France ; and that 
of Argelez was more than usually deficient. We 
were shown into an apartment, half sitting and 
half bed-room, with a floor black and filthy, on 
which it was loathsome even to tread ; and such a 
mockery of washing apparatus — a little basin, into 
which one could not plunge more than one hand 
at once, without sending all the water out; and, as 
is universally the case in France, no soap. Where 
to recline for rest was the next consideration ; for 
there were chairs of every shape and kind, except 
what belonged to cleanliness and comfort : yet 
with all this, there were such gay and even 
elegant hangings to the beds and windows, that it 
was necessary to keep perpetually gazing upwards 
to escape disgust. How much would one be will- 
ing to give, under such circumstances, for a re- 
freshing wholesome cup of tea ! This luxury, 
however, is rarely to be had, and seldom in such 
weather even a draught of milk in the after part of 
the day. Trout and eggs are the only palatable 
things one meets with. The rest is all stewed 
meat, or vegetables fried in lard ; and the former 

M 



242 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



is often covered up with thick sauce of the consis- 
tency of treacle, and sometimes I have seen it 
equally thick, and green. 

For the people at the inn, I must say, they did 
their best to make us comfortable ; and after 
making a tolerable meal of eggs and trout, we 
walked out in the cool of the evening — if cool it 
might be called. By the light of a cloudless moon ? 
we traced a woody path along the side of the hill 
which rises immediately behind the town ; and a 
beautiful sight it was, to see the mountains, some 
silvered over with the moon's soft radiance, and 
others reposing in the deepest shadow. While my 
companions sat down to rest, I wandered alone by 
the side of a chestnut wood; and such was the 
clearness of the moonlight, and the dryness of the 
soft still air, that I should scarcely have recollected 
night was coming on, but for a troop of wild and 
witch-like women, with their mules laden with 
charcoal, who asked me if I was not afraid. 

The usual route, in making the tour on which 
we had set out, is to go from Argelez to Pierre- 
fitte, a distance of about four miles, and from 
thence to Cauterets. This had been our original 
intention ; but Mr. Ellis having already suffered 
so much from the excessive heat, we felt at a loss 
how to dispose of ourselves, and longed for nothing 



IX THE PYRENEES. 



243 



so much as a place where we could be cool and 
quiet. 

Hoping to escape the full power of the sun, we 
set out early to walk to Pierrefitte, on the fol- 
lowing morning ; but the heat was even then so 
great in the valley, that I was obliged to stop 
under almost every tree, to enjoy a transient 
respite from its burning rays. Yet it was im- 
possible, even under such circumstances, to be 
insensible to the beauties of the scene ; for the 
rustling corn, now nearly ripe, was waving by the 
side of the road, — the haymakers were busy at 
their work, — while troops of Spaniards were driv- 
ing their mules along this route, which leads by 
the way of Gavarnie, into Spain. 

When at last we arrived at Pierrefitte, we found 
the inn there little better than the one at Argelez, 
and the breakfast altogether most repulsive. The 
dish I chose was pigeon, trusting to the inoffen- 
sive nature of these birds. Here the birds, how- 
ever, formed but a small proportion of the whole 
affair ; for they were lean and small, yet stuffed 
out with a mixture of garlic, and other abomina- 
tions, and floating in a sea of lard. 

The day we spent at Pierrefitte was so intensely 
hot, that although I knew there was a splendid 
view from the side of the opposite hill, scarcely 
m2 



244 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



rivalled by any in the Pyrenees, I dared not 
venture one step from the door of the comfortless 
inn, where we spent the remainder of the day, 
until released from our prison, by the arrival, 
about four o'clock, of the diligence for Luz, to 
which place we had decided to proceed, in the 
hope that it would afford the sort of peaceful 
retreat we were so much in want of. 

Almost immediately after leaving Pierrefitte, 
we entered a mountain gorge, perhaps the most 
sublime and astonishing of any amongst the Pyre- 
nees. At the entrance of this pass, the road is 
hemmed in between a perpendicular mass of bare 
red rock, and the cool refreshing waters of the Gave, 
flowing almost level with the path. This, however, 
soon rises to such a height, that it becomes no- 
thing less than appalling to look down into the 
abyss, where the torrent, there foaming and im- 
petuous, works its way between stupendous masses 
of smooth black rock, sometimes shelving sheer 
down, and at others projecting over the bed of the 
roaring waters. The road which is hewn out of 
this solid mass, winds sometimes at one side of the 
chasm, and sometimes at the other; and the 
different bridges of marble, by which it is crossed, 
look most frightful for the ponderous diligence, 
drawn by six horses, three abreast, which work 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



245 



their zigzag way, often at a thundering pace, 
where the road is not broad enough for two 
carriages to pass, and the view intercepted every 
two or three yards, by enormous blocks of stone 
forming portions of the mountain, along whose 
side this wonderful way is cut. 

Perhaps the most astonishing feature in this 
route, is that another road is now being constructed 
lower down in the chasm, and apparently hewn 
out almost under the old one. Some dreadful 
accidents have suggested the idea of this improve- 
ment ; but it seemed to me, that nothing less than 
the genius of Buonaparte could have devised and 
carried into effect the work that is here begun. 
A better idea may be formed of its character and 
situation, when I add, that the first workmen 
employed upon it, had to be let down and sus- 
pended by ropes ; and many of them spend the 
whole of every day, hammering and toiling on the 
sloping side of a precipice of smooth stone, from 
whence they look directly down into such a gulf, 
as I, at five times the distance, was unable to look 
at without horror. It was a melancholy spectacle, 
to see amongst the men thus employed, and who 
in the hottest part of the route were boring and 
blasting the solid iron stone, poor women assisting 
them by carrying their heavy tools; while in 



246 SUMMER AND WINTER 

another part, where masonry was began, they were 
carrying stones and mortar on their heads, and 
climbing barefoot up the stony path. 

We were not sorry to find the road so steep that 
all were obliged to get out and walk ; as by this 
means we could see better into the depth, where 
the blue waters of the stream were hurrying on 
their way ; and beautiful was the little Eden which 
in one particular spot spreads out before the view, 
like a sort of waking dream ; for the contrast in the 
scene appears almost too sudden to be real. It 
is where the mountains just leave space enough for 
a smooth green valley, through which the same 
river meanders for a while at perfect rest, between 
low green banks of velvet sward. 

In the course of little more than an hour, we 
emerged entirely from the gorge into the valley, 
or basin, as it is often called, of Luz, as beautiful, 
though much less extensive than, the valley of 
Argelez. If the traveller has ever heard the little 
town of Luz described, he may know when he 
reaches it, by the many silvery streams which 
hasten through and past it, to join the river on the 
other side of the valley, immediately after it has 
swept past the foundation of the rocks on which is 
built the pretty little town of St. Sauveur, about the 
distance of a mile from Luz. Gave being the generic 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



247 



name for rivers in this region of the world, it is 
a better distinction to say, that this is the Gave de 
Pan, which takes its rise from the cascades of Ga- 
varnie, and sweeps, a prouder stream, past the foot 
of the old chateau of Henry of Navarre, at Pau. 

Our first view of the valley of Luz convinced us 
that this was indeed the place of refreshment and 
repose we were in search of. The calm of a lovely 
evening was then spread over the scene ; while the 
fertility of its soil, the silvery flow of its thousand 
streams, the summits — sometimes golden, and 
sometimes purple — of the surrounding mountains, 
with the innumerable villages, cottages, hanging 
woods, and cultivated plots of ground, gave it an 
aspect of grandeur, yet at the same time of plenty 
and fertility, beyond what we had before beheld. 

Nor must I forget, as unimportant in our cir- 
cumstances, the unfailing kindness of good old 
Madame Cazaux, a respectable widow lady, who 
keeps the principal hotel in Luz. She may be 
known by her honest and benevolent countenance, 
her close white cap with long lappets and plain 
black ribbon tied round it ; but chiefly by her sin- 
gular figure, presenting the outline of a substantial 
cone, her waist being considerably broader than 
her shoulders. It is a thousand pities her inn is 
not a little cleaner ; but one forgets the floors and 



248 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



furniture in the good wholesome English dinners 
she provides ; and one forgives still more, because 
she has a veritable kettle, and something like re- 
spectable tea. 

Singular as the outline of this good lady's figure 
may at first appear, it is less striking in France, 
than it would be with us ; because the ambition of 
exhibiting a small waist, or even a waist at all, 
seems never to have reached these people : and 
the shapelessness of the female figure may perhaps 
be one reason, why a shawl, both in hot weather 
and cold, both for rich and poor, both in-doors 
and out, when at rest, as well as when taking 
exercise, — is considered so indispensable an article 
of clothing. Even on Sundays, when better dressed 
than usual, and often when the weather is intensely 
hot, the French servant will mount her last new 
shawl upon her old one ; and in all departments of 
their work, even cooking, they may be seen en- 
veloped in their shawls. 

On the evening of our arrival at Luz, we walked 
to the top of a little hill, crowned with the ruins 
of a hermitage, and jutting out into the valley, 
so as to command a view, not only of the entrance 
of the gorge through which we had passed, but 
of the two other defiles which terminate in the 
basin of Luz — that of Gavarnie, through which 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



249 



flow the foaming waters of the Gave, — and that 
of Bareges, presenting a less lovely aspect, from 
the dreadful ravages to which it is subject, when 
the winter floods have swollen the wilder and more 
furious Bastan, whose torrent mingles with the 
Gave in the valley of Luz. 

Well might the hermit, if such a being did ever 
really occupy the rudely constructed building on 
this little hill, have sought this situation for its 
beauty and repose. Nothing I have ever seen and 
felt, or perhaps shall ever see and feel again, can 
surpass this lovely scene, for the perfect picture of 
peace presented by its evening aspect. If one 
requisite for the enjoyment of peace be a sense of 
security, we find it here, in the majestic mountains 
rising on every hand, some to the height of six or 
seven thousand feet above the level of the verdant 
plain or hollow, which lies before you, extending to 
the distance of about two miles in length, and one 
in breadth. If in order to calm the stirrings of 
anxiety and apprehension, which the accustomed 
habits of the world have rendered a second nature, 
it is necessary for our peace, that we should see 
around us the industry of man, facilitating the 
produce of a fruitful soil, we have it here in more 
than ordinary perfection ; for not only in the valley, 
but far up the sides of these majestic mountains, 
m 3 



250 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



at an altitude never reached by the cultivation of 
colder climes, are thousands of little barns and 
cottages, their white gables gleaming out from 
clumps of tufted wood; and villages, with their 
little rustic churches, sometimes half buried in the 
deep ravines ; at others, standing out like fairy- 
citadels, on the point of some bold promontory, 
which catches the beams of the declining sun. 
And then the rich deep woods with which some of 
the lateral hills are crowned, and the patches of 
different kinds of cultivation, extending to an 
almost miraculous height, all different in their 
tints, yet all blending into a beautiful mosaic, in 
perfect harmony with the colouring of a southern 
climate. If again, there is a craving in the human 
mind for something beyond what belongs to the 
bare notion of utility, a craving which perhaps 
destroys our peace more than all the actual neces- 
sities of life, for something to fill, and satisfy, and 
render perfect, the enjoyment of the spiritual part 
of our nature, we are surely brought nearest to it 
in a situation like this, when the mind is impressed 
with conceptions of the boundless power, and 
equally boundless beneficence of its Creator. 

I am aware that this is not religion, and that the 
requirements of Christian duty may direct our 
steps to paths of a far different nature. I am 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



251 



aware, also, that difficult, or even ordinary and 
obscure as these paths may at first appear, He to 
whom all things are possible, may diffuse around 
them an attractiveness, and a beauty, as far sur- 
passing all material excellence, as spiritual enjoy- 
ment is raised above that which belongs merely to 
the body ; but I still think it has so pleased the 
Creator of the universe, to endow the mind of man 
with an intuitive sense of the loveliness and mag- 
nificence of nature — a sympathy which lets in the 
power of beauty, as it were a flood upon the soul : 
and I believe it is good that the spirit should be 
thus refreshed, and consistent with the wise pur- 
poses of God, that the hills, and the streams, and 
the verdant earth, and the fertility of the smiling 
landscape, with the calm of evening spread over it, 
should give us afresh to rejoice in his goodness, 
and to feel that there is such a thing as peace, even 
in this w r orld, where the repose we are all in want 
of, is so often and so fatally destroyed by our 
own tumultuous passions. 

Nor is it the smiling landscape below, or the 
sublime, untrodden heights of the mountains above, 
which constitute the sole interest of this view. 
The scene is diversified by many vestiges of an- 
tiquity, which carry back the thoughts to former 
times, and thus form a link of connexion between 



252 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the present and the past. One of these, a very 
ancient ruin, said to be of Roman origin, stands on 
an almost perpendicular mass of bold bare rock, 
rising like an island in the green valley, and situated 
as if to guard the entrance into that of the Bastan. 
It is called the Fort of St. Marie ; and not the 
least interesting portion of its history is, that it 
was once occupied by the English, led here by the 
Black Prince when his court was at Bordeaux, and 
much of this part of France was subject to his 
sway. But the most perfect of the many ancient 
buildings to be found in this neighbourhood, is a 
large old church in the centre of the town of Luz, 
formerly belonging to the Knights Templars, who 
held rich possessions in this part of France. At 
first this building, with its high surrounding wall of 
massive architecture, strikes you as being more 
like a prison than a church, and you are at a loss 
to account for its turreted walls, high towers, loop 
holes, and strongly defended windows ; but all is 
explained, when you learn that it belonged to those 
proud warriors of the cross. While we trod the 
ancient pavement, with a little girl to run before us 
and chatter about the 66 jolie ,, chapel, with its altar 
adorned with flowers, before which one solitary 
peasant woman was kneeling, a strange contrast 
was presented to our minds between its present 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



258 



and its former state, — between its appropriation as 
a place of prayer by the simple peasantry of the 
valley of Luz, and its commanding position in the 
surrounding country, when the stately gown of its 
warrior priests, was accustomed to be worn above 
the armour that defied the world. 

Here for the first time we saw that separate door 
let into a low part of the wall, by which alone the 
miserable Cagots were permitted to enter any of 
the churches. One cannot reside long amongst 
the Pyrenees, without hearing much of this singular 
and separate race of people, though they are seldom 
to be seen by the mere traveller, on account of 
their number being greatly decreased, and also 
because the remnants of their race occupy, with 
few exceptions, the most remote and inaccessible 
recesses of the mountains. That these people once 
constituted a numerous class, is sufficiently attested 
by many curious facts, while their isolated situation, 
cut off from all sympathy with the rest of mankind, 
is also evident from the abject and degraded state 
in which the residue of this wretched people is still 
found. It is said that they are below the average 
of human beings, both in their personal appearance 
and in their mental faculties, — abject, stupid, and 
little raised above the brute creation. Yet no in- 
stance has reached my knowledge, of their returning 



254 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



oppression with injury, or rewarding the injustice of 
years, with any of those momentary ebullitions of 
revenge, which belong to the history of almost 
every other class of despised or injured people. 

It is impossible at the present day, to arrive at 
any authentic account of the origin of the Cagots, 
but that certainly appears the most probable, which 
supposes them to have been persons infected with 
leprosy, a disease imported into their country after 
the first crusade ; and some writers even suppose 
that their name may have come from the word 
gafo, which in Spanish signifies leprous. This idea 
is also supported by the nature of the laws which 
were made for the purpose of separating them from 
the rest of the people ; for besides the low door by 
which alone they were permitted to enter the 
churches, there was an edict of Gaston IV., by 
which particular houses in the most isolated situa- 
tions, were assigned to their use ; they were also 
excluded from all trades or occupations, except 
such as could be carried on in the open air, and 
were even forbidden to carry arms, and to walk 
barefoot in the streets or roads, under pain of 
having their feet bored through with hot iron. Of 
course they were not permitted to intermarry with 
the rest of the people; and one remnant of the 
contempt in which they were held, may still be 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



255 



found in the word cagot being applied as the lowest 
term of opprobrium amongst the country people. 

St. Sauveur, the little Cheltenham of the Pyre- 
nees, I have already said is situated about a mile 
from Luz, and you may walk there either by the 
green meadows and the hill of the hermitage, or 
by an excellent public road, leading to it by a 
marble bridge across the Gave. The town itself 
consists of a single street of well-built houses, 
standing on the edge of the ravine of the Gave, 
and in that direction which leads, by a road on the 
opposite side, to Gavarnie. It is chiefly the resort 
of nervous or fashionable invalids, who find its 
waters more mild, though I believe they are of the 
same nature as those of Bareges. It is, upon the 
whole, a more genteel residence than Luz, though 
to us it possessed fewer recommendations, there 
being no road through it, no view from it, and, 
according to report, nothing to be found in it, 
except the gossip of fashionable idlers, which, 
however, I cannot complain of, as the season of 
their arrival had not then commenced. 

Both St. Sauveur and Luz possess the recom- 
mendation of being central points, from whence 
excursions can be made to many places of interest 
and attraction, lying at the distance of but one 
day's journey; so that you can set off early in 



256 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the morning, on sure-footed and well-practised 
horses kept for the purpose, see as much as the eye 
is capable of admiring, and the mind of enjoying 
at once, and return in the evening to rest, at either 
of these places. 

The ascent of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, is 
an object of attainment at once the most difficult 
and the most desirable from this situation. Mr. 
Ellis and I had promised ourselves the enjoyment 
of the view from this mountain, which from its 
peculiar position, standing out to the northward of 
the general line of the Pyrenees, overlooks a vast 
extent of country; including the fertile plains of 
Beam, of Gascony, and Languedoc. We had here, 
however, to remember, that we were travellers in 
search of health, not merely of enjoyment; and as 
the young friend who accompanied us took advan- 
tage of a beautifully clear morning to make the 
ascent, we awaited the result of his experiment, in 
order to be better able to judge of its practicability 
for ourselves. It was, perhaps, well that we did 
so, though the day was most favourable, and 
the path is said to be so good, that you can ride 
even to the summit ; but there was then so much 
snow, that the party were obliged to dismount 
and leave their horses. They were five hours with 
the burning sun upon their heads, and the reflec- 



IN THE PYRENEES* 



257 



tion of the glaring snow in their faces ; the effect 
of which was sufficiently visible in the aspect they 
presented on their return, — swollen, red, and some 
of them almost black. They were the first tra- 
vellers who had ascended that year, and the guides 
were consequently obliged to make footsteps in the 
snow for them to tread in. Our friend was well 
satisfied that he had performed this exploit, but 
the description he gave of the effect produced on 
his head by the sunshine and the snow, rendered 
us equally satisfied not to make the attempt ; and 
so much of our time had already been sauntered 
away amongst the waterfalls and green shady walks 
of Luz, that we could not find a day for ascending 
the nearer mountain of Bergons, less difficult, but 
also commanding a very extensive view. 

Still, if the object of travel be to fill the mind 
with the contemplation of what is great and glo- 
rious in the works of the Creator, and the heart 
with feelings of contentment and repose, perhaps 
we succeeded in this object as completely as we 
could have done in any other way, by tracing out 
the shady paths that wind around the sides of the 
hills more immediately surrounding Luz, by watch- 
ing the hay-makers at work in the valley, and by 
resigning ourselves to the dreamy silence, and the 
quiet beauty of these never-to-be-forgotten scenes. 



258 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



I speak of the silence of this valley, for the per- 
petual murmur of its streams, is no interruption to 
that soul-felt stillness, which the language of poetry 
so often describes as silence. It is well for those 
who have youth and health to bear them on, or for 
those whose object is to tell of the many points of 
interest they have visited, to hurry on from place 
to place, and crowd a world of images into the 
recollection of a single day; but if the object is, 
as I confess it has often been with me, to thank 
God and be still, it is better to wander out alone, 
or with one quiet companion, to trace the herds- 
man's path, to sit down when weary, to converse 
with the peasants, to enter their cottages, to gather 
wild flowers, and to watch, without excitement or 
fatigue, the wonder-working process by which the 
beauty of each day is developed by the morning 
light, and folded back as it were, into the bosom of 
nature, with the dewy fall of every night. 

The circle of Gavarnie, the great world's wonder 
of the Pyrenees, being within a few hours' journey 
on horseback from Luz, and also being a less diffi- 
cult excursion than that to the summit of the Pic 
du Midi, the weather also being clear and beautiful 
beyond description, we fixed our plans for visiting 
it, and rose early on the appointed day, intending 
to commence our journey before the heat of the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



259 



day. What then was our disappointment on look- 
ing out, to see the morning dark and drizzling, 
with a north wind, and a cold hazy fog, like many 
of our spring mornings on the north-east coast of 
England. Our guide, however, assured us it 
would clear away by the middle of the day, and 
we mounted our horses, and set off in company 
with a lady and gentleman from Normandy. 

The almost unrivalled sublimity of the route 
to Gavarnie, commences on leaving St. Sauveur. 
The road then rises to a frightful height above the 
black precipitous rocks which hem in the deep blue 
waters of the Gave ; while the road, dwindling to 
a mere bridle path, winds through the defile with 
dark threatening mountains almost overhanging 
it on either side. In one place is a scene of 
peculiar horror ; and in consequence of the many 
frightful accidents which have taken place in this 
part of the road, a wall has been built to protect it 
where it curves into a hollow of the mountain; 
while all the way beneath it, to the torrent foaming 
at a far depth below, is a sort of grooved descent, 
down which, it seems almost as if to look, would be 
to fall. It is told as one of the legendary wonders 
of the place, that in this very spot the peasants of 
the country once overcame a troop of Spanish 
banditti, and hurled them headlong into the abyss ; 



260 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and there is a rude tablet placed in the pro- 
tecting wall, to commemorate the almost mira- 
culous exertions of a priest, who on one occasion, 
rushed down this awful descent, and nearly suc- 
ceeded in saving the lives of two young men who 
had missed their footing, and fallen from the road. 
The stream, however, was too powerful, and both 
were drowned. 

The route to Gavarnie becomes wilder and more 
sterile as you advance, abounding in cascades, the 
most insignificant of which, surpass some of the 
most celebrated in the neighbourhood of the 
English lakes. We passed one to our right, called 
the Cascade of the Four Mills, and there, on the 
bleak side of a mountain, without cultivation, with- 
out a tree, and apparently without a road, stood 
four of those little, lowly, and primitive looking 
mills, one above another, up the course of a mag- 
nificent waterfall, which looked as if, with some 
freak of its fantastic spray, it might sweep them 
all away at once. Nothing is more striking in 
passing along this defile, than the perfect solitude 
which its aspect presents. Few houses are to be 
seen, few peasants, and scarcely any animals, either 
domestic or wild. The foaming Gave alone seems 
to be instinct with life, and even that has all the 
terrors of an awful death for those who may ven- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



261 



ture too near its rocky bed. The first time you 
cross the torrent, is by the bridge of Scia, built, 
like all the others we had passed, of marble. The 
descent to it is by a frightfully steep and zigzag 
path, which brings you at once upon this compara- 
tively frail structure, thrown at an amazing height 
above the torrent, just where its waters are the 
most tumultuous, where enormous blocks of granite 
intercept its course, and where masses of shattered 
pine, and sometimes whole trees are seen, driven 
onward and dashed against the rocks by the fury of 
the pent-up stream, whose roar is like the bellow- 
ing of thunder. 

It is a pity to have one's feelings of the sublime 
interrupted by the ridiculous ; yet I cannot think of 
the bridge of Scia, without recalling a most roman- 
tic story in a French guide-book, where a tale is 
told of some fancied Lady Clara, who, seated by the 
side of this bridge, repeated the celebrated soliloquy 
of Hamlet, "To die — to sleep," — and then cast 
herself into the gulf. The ridiculous of the story 
is, that the French writer, after describing the 
scene in the most affecting manner, gives the com- 
mencement of the soliloquy in the following words, 
" Todie toslip" Might not this, with the many 
other embellishments of language of the same 
description, which one occasionally meets with, 



262 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



operate as a useful caution against the too frequent 
use, perhaps I might say abuse, of other languages 
than our own ? 

As the day of our excursion advanced, it made 
no progress towards improvement. Not one moun- 
tain peak was to be seen. Yet giving up the 
summits of the mountains, and that is unquestionably 
a great portion of the sublime, I confess I have 
often thought, that when the clouds are low, the 
precipitous ravines, the dark sides of the hills, and 
the masses of irregular and broken crag imme- 
diately around you, are seen to the greatest 
advantage. At all events, I journeyed on this day 
with my quiet pony, as much wrapped in admira- 
tion as I had ever been before, and perhaps more 
impressed with the shadowy gloom and deep 
majesty of the scenery around. 

Before reaching the little village of Gedre, 
situated about half the way to the great circle, the 
valley becomes much wider, and cultivated fields, 
and human habitations, once more enliven the 
scene. At this village, opposite the auberge, or 
perhaps I ought to call it the hotel, both horses 
and guide make an equally determined stop. It 
seems to be an understood thing that you will 
descend, for crowds of bare-footed boys and girls 
are standing ready to dispute the honour, or rather 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



263 



the profit, of holding your horses. You are then 
conducted through the house, into a sort of garden 
at the back, to see a grotto, which, after all, is no 
grotto at all ; but just a narrow passage of a torrent 
behind the house, where it has worked its way- 
through a sort of rocky bed, which is quite open 
to the sky, and which presents nothing more rare or 
beautiful than you can find by yourself, along the 
course of any of the mountain streams. The only 
thing remarkable about it, is an enormous rock, 
which they show you as having been forced out of 
the bed of the torrent during one of the storms 
which work such terrible devastation in this valley. 

Beyond Gedre all cultivation again ceases, and 
you enter a region not inappropriately denominated 
Chaos. No human habitation is now within the 
range of sight. The mountains on both sides are 
broken and precipitous, black and threatening, 
and look as if it had been in rage against each 
other, that, at no very distant period, they had 
hurled down their heavy burdens into the bed of 
the torrent at their feet. The masses which have 
fallen, are in some places mountains of themselves, 
sometimes so pitched upon the edge of others, as 
to leave a dark cavern below, — sometimes blocking 
up the way, so that the path winds around or 
beneath them, — and sometimes in the bed of the 



264 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



torrent, so tnat the stream rushes foaming and 
boiling with noisy wrath amongst the ruins by 
which its course has been impeded. It is scarcely 
possible to look upon this scene without thinking of 
Milton's description of the angels, who, in their 
awful combat, seized on the mountains and hurled 
them at each other. Yet the most agitating sen- 
sation the scene inspires, is that with which you 
look up, when it seems as if at least half the 
remaining rocks, hanging suspended as it were 
above your head, were on the point of making 
another descent, and that before you can possibly 
have time to pass. 

It was here, amongst this gloomy wilderness, 
that we saw the richest profusion of that bright- 
coloured rhododendron, which is called the rose of 
Switzerland; and another feature in the scenery 
struck us in this day's journey, which we had not 
witnessed before. From the elevation of the 
mountains, and their consequent exposure to fre- 
quent damp and fog, the rocks, especially those 
near to Gavarnie, are almost covered with a kind 
of green and yellow moss, which blends so beauti- 
fully with the cold grey stone, and the pastures 
belov, as to form a sort of softening medium in 
the picture, rendering the whole more beautiful 
than pen or pencil can describe. 



IN THE PYRENEES* 



It seems strange to speak of pastures in sueh a 
region of desolation; yet no sooner have you 
emerged from Chaos, than in every spot where the 
rocks afford room for pasturage, not only flocks of 
sheep and goats were feeding, but nearer to the 
stream, meadows of high grass, rich with the 
colouring of innumerable flowers, were waving, 
even where the huts were so poor and so thinly 
scattered, that one wondered where could be the 
hands to secure the produce of the land. 

In clear weather, a great part of the amphitheatre 
of Gavarnie is seen distinctly from Gedre, but we 
went on, and on, the mists thickening around us as 
we attained a greater elevation ; and nothing was 
to be seen in the distance but shadowy forms of 
mountains, and sheets of snow, gleaming white 
through the floating clouds. On reaching the little 
village of Gavarnie, a number of bare-footed women 
and girls run along with you for a distance of about 
three miles, to hold your horses when you alight 
We had still another bridge to cross, which looked 
rather formidable to one accustomed only to ride 
along the safe and level roads of England, for it was 
composed only of four loose trunks of trees, without 
any protection on either side. Yet I had by this 
time attained to such a degree of confidence in my 
horse, that had it attempted to cross the river on 

N 



266 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



one, I should have believed it possible, though 
I might have taken the precaution to dismount. 
One of the bridges we had crossed before this, had, 
I confess it, startled me a good deal. It was 
broader and firmer, but at a much greater height, 
and where the stream was rapid and tumultuous, 
with no protection on either side. There came, 
too, such a frightful blast when I was half way 
over, that it seemed not unlikely to blow both my 
horse and me into the torrent. 

On arriving at the circle of Gavarnie, our guide, 
who must have known ail the way exactly how it 
would be, exhibited every sign of surprise and dis- 
appointment, to find that we were still enveloped 
in a cloud of mist, through which we could but 
dimly discern the great waterfall, and saw nothing 
of the high towers, two extraordinary rocks rising 
from a mighty wall of marble, which crown the 
summit of the central part of the amphitheatre. 
We were indeed in a bleak, wet, uncomfortable 
state, with nothing but beds of snow and white 
mist before us, and a north wind and drifting rain 
behind, looking into vacuity, and wondering what 
we had come there to see. We amused ourselves, 
however, with sauntering over the snow, which, 
after the intense heat of the preceding day, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



287 



was attended with a strange, and to me novel 
sensation. 

While engaged in this cheerless occupation, and 
when we had resigned every hope of beholding the 
wonderful spectacle we had come so far to see ; to 
our inexpressible delight, the mists began to float 
away, the rain ceased, and though I cannot say 
that I have clearly seen the great circle of Gavar- 
nie, yet I have seen, as in a passing dream, 
glimpses of the mighty rocks, the stupendous 
waterfall, with fields of snow, one above another, 
far up into the clouds, which afforded, I am 
strongly inclined to think, a more forcible im- 
pression of sublimity and awe, than I could have 
experienced under clearer and more sunny skies. 

The circle of Gavarnie is so named from ita 
being a sort of basin, enclosed on all sides but one ; 
and at the time we saw it, the depth of the hollow 
w r as covered with a thick bed of snow. Of its 
perpendicular height an idea may be formed, by 
the great cascade, which falls over a surface of rock 
of fourteen hundred feet, thus forming the highest 
waterfall in Europe. On the first melting of the 
snows, and at the season when we beheld it, it is 
as magnificent in the volume of water which 
descends, as in its height. At the summit where 
n 2 



268 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



it rolls over the lofty precipice, two gigantic masses 
of rock stand forth, as if to guard its fall, which is 
not interrupted until the last quarter of the distance, 
where a bolder and darker mass separates the 
column of water, without the majestic line of the 
whole cascade being broken. 

In order to form a correct idea of the beauty of 
the whole scene, it is necessary to imagine the 
rocks of the finest marble, streaked and variegated 
with every tint, from the deepest brown and pur- 
ple, to the brightest yellow, sometimes varying 
even to rose colour. A perpendicular wall of this 
structure rises beyond the great waterfall; and 
down its side were precipitated twelve other water- 
falls, while over its summit lay a vast field of 
snow: again another wall of marble, diversified 
with cascades, more faint and blue in the distance ; 
and above all, the more majestic wall on which 
stand the two mighty rocks, called the towers of 
Marbore, crowned with eternal snows, and all 
formed of the most beautiful marble, fluted like 
the columns of a Grecian temple. The highest of 
these walls of marble rises at a perpendicular 
height of about one thousand feet above the amphi- 
theatre, which is formed by the receding of the 
different beds of snow, in the form of a semicircle. 
To the right, the snows and the pinnacles of rock 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



269 



seem to mingle into a more chaotic mass ; while, 
rising immediately from the bed of the hollow 
basin, are bold buttresses of the adjoining moun- 
tain, standing out like barriers to protect the whole ; 
and over their perpendicular sides the most beau- 
tiful cascades w T ere pouring, some of them like 
silver threads, making in all sixteen wdthin the 
circle. 

It is over this portion of the circle that the 
celebrated Breche de Rolande appears, a giant cleft 
in a solid wall of rock, about six hundred feet in 
height, said to have been made by the w T arrior 
from whom it derives its name, when he opened 
for himself a passage for his conquests over the 
Moors. Amongst the many wonders told of this 
more than mortal hero, he is said, after effecting 
this passage into Spain, to have reached, by one 
leap of his horse, the centre of the rocky defile, 
now called Chaos ; and our guide actually stopped 
as w r e passed through it, to show us the mark of 
his horse's foot-print on the stone where he alighted. 

The appearance of the circle of Gavarnie is very 
deceptive as to its actual extent. It seemed but a 
trifle to walk from where w T e stood at the entrance, 
to the base of the great waterfall ; yet the guide 
told us it would take an hour to reach it : and I 
could the more readily believe him, when I re- 



270 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



fleeted, that we could but just hear, from where we 
stood, the hissing fall of that immense body of 
water. Later in the season, when the heats of 
summer have prevailed with lengthened power, 
this waterfall works for itself an archway, which 
leaves a bridge of snow ; and the waters then 
form a sort of lake in the hollow of the circle, the 
whole circumference of which is said to be about 
ten miles. 

We had not gazed long upon this wonderful 
spectacle, when the atmosphere again became 
thick and cloudy ; and there seemed so little hope 
of a clearer view, that we returned to the inn at 
Gavarnie, not forgetting to station a boy to watch 
and tell us if the mists cleared away, even for a 
moment, during the time we dined. He came 
not, however, and we went after dinner to see a 
little church at the outskirts of the village, situated 
on the route which leads into Spain, by the 
Porte de Gavarnie. In this church are kept, as 
curious relics, twelve skulls of the Knights Tem- 
plars, who were beheaded at the time when their 
order was proscribed. They were taken, by a 
little boy, out of a sort of corner cupboard, and 
presented, in their decayed condition, a striking 
picture of the impotence of human power, and the 
transient nature of the glory of this world. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



271 



The settlement of our affairs with the landlady 
of the inn at Gavarnie, was a matter not easily 
accomplished ; for it is in all such situations, where, 
from the remoteness of the place, and the length 
of the journey, the traveller has no other alter- 
native than to take advantage of such accommo- 
dation as he may find, that the most unreasonable 
charges are made; and being generally made in 
the first instance as a sort of experiment, to try 
how much the stranger will give, a lengthened and 
most annoying altercation is the only means of 
escaping excessive imposition. The best method, 
and that which is always adopted by experienced 
travellers in this part of France, is to make a 
bargain beforehand for whatever may be required, 
and by no means to settle down in an apartment 
for the night, without first stipulating for its price. 

Finding the arrangement of these affairs at 
Gavarnie was likely to be a very lengthened 
business, and being a little weary of the fatiguing 
motion of a horse, scrambling, as they must, along 
a great part of this route, over rough and slippery 
rocks, I set off to walk on the road back to Gedre, 
and most thoroughly enjoyed my solitary ramble, 
notwithstanding my path was often interrupted by 
streams, or rather torrents, which it nearly baffled 
my ingenuity to cross. My way was as silent as it 



272 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



was solitary, for I met only one or two peasants, 
who condoled with me on being on foot and alone; 
a wild-looking Spaniard ; and, amongst a mass of 
rocks, a perfect personification of Meg Merrilies — 
a tall, gaunt, but somewhat handsome woman, 
contending with a mule, apparently as wild and 
wilful as herself. 

I had forgotten that the defile of shattered rocks 
was on the side of Gedre nearest to Gavarnie : 
what then was my surprise to find that I was 
entering upon the awful region of Chaos alone at 
the close of the day, with no human habitation, no 
living creature within the reach of my sight, or the 
sound of my voice — nothing but the roaring tor- 
rent at my feet — nothing but the dark masses of 
rocks, their deep shadows and frowning summits 
around and above me. I need hardly say, that I 
loitered until the rest of the party came in sight, 
and then pursued my way at such a distance from 
them, that I could see them behind me winding 
round the point of every rock I passed. 

On descending from Gavarnie to the more 
sheltered and lower regions of St. Sauveur and 
Luz, we found ourselves in a milder and clearer 
atmosphere ; besides which, the weather had really 
changed; so that we had the mortification on 
looking back, to see the beams of the setting 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



278 



sun reflected in all their radiance on the snowy 
summits of some of the mountains we had left. 

After the fatigues of this day, which were nothing 
less than ten hours' riding over roads which in many 
parts I should previously have thought it impossible 
for a horse to travel, yet over the whole of which 
mine had never made a false step, — I did not find 
myself on the following morning much disposed to 
retrace my steps. Mr. Ellis, however, was more 
enterprising; and the day being beautifully clear, 
he rode again to Gavarnie, and was amply re- 
warded by a perfect view of the whole amphi- 
theatre, which first opened before him on turning 
round a hill, before arriving at Gedre. It was a 
day which brought to light all the most delicate 
and exquisite colouring of the marble rocks, the 
blue course of the distant waterfalls, and the 
sublimest heights covered with trackless snow. 
Instead of the sombre shadows and majestic masses 
of undefined and gloomy rock which we had seen 
the day before, the whole was spread before him 
like the magnificent structure of some vast temple, 
where light and beauty were inconceivably blended 
with impressions of magnitude and space. 

On the evening of this day we had fixed to leave 
Luz, intending to walk as far as Bareges, that we 
might be ready to cross the Tour m ale t on the 
n 3 



274 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



following morning, in company with the courier, 
who, during the summer season, conveys letters by 
this route, from Bareges to Bagneres de Bigorre. 

Bareges is situated higher up in the mountains, 
at the distance of about two leagues from Luz. It 
was late in the evening when we took leave of our 
kind hostess, and turned into the valley of the 
Bastan, with the hope of reaching Bareges before 
nightfall. The first part of the road is a beautiful 
avenue of trees, with the ruins of St. Marie to the 
left, and smooth green meadows, sprinkled with 
cottages, sloping down to the side of the torrent 
which sweeps past the foot of the rock on which 
this ancient fort is built. With the last glow of 
sunset on the scene, we could form little idea of 
the region of desolation upon which we were en- 
tering; and as the twilight in this climate is of 
such short duration, that night comes on before 
you are aware of its approach, we soon found 
ourselves travelling by no other light than that of 
stars and glow-worms. We were, however, able to 
perceive that the valley, or gorge, had become 
narrower, less peopled, and that the torrent foamed 
over a more rocky and precipitous bed. 

It is in this valley, more than any other of tire 
Pyrenees, that the inhabitants have to dread the 
ravages, not only of the winter, but the summer 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



275 



storms. In vain has the ingenuity of man erected 
barriers against the devastating floods : every win- 
ter large portions of the road are washed away; 
and there are times when the loss of life and pro- 
perty in the neighbourhood of Bareges is most 
awful and tremendous. 

It is perhaps at all times a gloomy place. The 
town is hemmed in between the threatening and 
angry Bastan on one side, and the steep side of 
a sterile mountain on the other ; while the scanti- 
ness of vegetation all around, and the number of 
cripples, and other invalids, who throng the place, 
for the benefit of its far-famed baths, are sufficient 
of themselves to fill the mind with impressions 
of melancholy and distress. 

The waters of Bareges are stronger than any 
other in the Pyrenees, and its baths are the resort 
of persons of all classes afflicted with rheumatism, 
gout, and other diseases ; but above all, they are 
celebrated for the cure of gun-shot wounds. To 
soldiers thus afflicted the baths are administered 
gratis, and there are frequently not less than eight 
hundred in the place, with an equal number of 
visitors, amongst whom those of the poorest class, 
have appropriated exclusively to their use, a sort 
of subterranean bath, over which there is a public 
promenade. It is, perhaps, more necessary at 



276 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Bareges, than at any other place, that the baths 
should be under government inspection, on account 
of the insufficiency of their number to supply the 
increasing demand. Great regularity, however, is 
practised in the adjustment of these matters, under 
the direction of the medical inspectors appointed 
and paid by government. 

Owing to the steepness and length of the ascent, 
it was nearly ten o'clock when we arrived at 
Bareges, and we had consequently to experience 
the usual advantage which is taken of travellers in 
such circumstances. In the hotel where we stopped, 
eight francs were asked for one bed; and it was not 
until we had disputed half an hour with six women, 
each trying to talk faster and louder than the rest, 
that we succeeded in obtaining two beds for four 
francs. 

The next morning, a little after six, we mounted 
our horses, to accompany the courier on a journey 
of eight hours over the Tourmalet, by the way of 
Grip, and the valley of Campan, to Bagneres de 
Bigorre. The morning was unusually clear, and 
we then saw what a sterile and desolate scene 
we had reached the previous night. Nothing, in 
short, could form a greater contrast to the fertile 
plain and happy-looking peasantry of Luz. Here 
there was little to be seen on the bleak sides of 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



277 



the mountains, but here and there a rude and 
miserable dwelling, with a scanty patch of cultiva- 
tion ; while the single street of the town was 
thronged with wounded soldiers, and cripples of 
almost every description. 

The road is a perfect scramble on its first com- 
mencement, and nothing better than a mountain 
path all the way, though less slippery and dan- 
gerous than many we had travelled. For some 
time our way was the same as to the Pic du Midi, 
which reared its proud crest a little to our left, and 
of which the Tourmalet, six thousand feet in 
height, appears from that position to form a part, 
We soon left all trace of cultivation behind, find- 
ing no human habitation but those shepherds' huts, 
entirely deserted in the winter, which always made 
me think of the kraals of the Africans, being com- 
posed of six or eight low-roofed cottages, with 
sheds and yards for the cattle fenced in from the 
wolves and bears, which not unfrequently visit 
these solitudes. 

On our right we passed the entrances of two of 
the most wild and dreary valleys of the Pyrenees, 
said to be the hiding-places of the Cagots,— those 
of Lienz and Escabous, one of which presents a 
frightful barrier to this passage in the winter, being 
the bed of a torrent little less furious and destructive 



278 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



than the Bastan, into which it pours. The stream, 
when we saw it, was small and insignificant ; but 
it had scooped for itself a deep shelving groove in 
the side of the mountain, within which the path 
was extremely narrow, and the descent immediately 
below, both vast and steep. 

About seven o'clock we met a party returning 
from the Pic, who had been to see the sunrise on 
its summit, and a magnificent sight they must 
have had. One of them, a lady, was carried in a 
kind of chair, with six bearers, allowing for three 
changes. I cannot say I envied her; for if the 
ascent is difficult on foot, how painful must it be 
to be carried at this expense of human strength ! 
It is not more than seven years aga, that most of 
the excursions we heard of, even that to Gavarnie, 
which must be a distance of fifteen miles, were 
made in this manner; and so light and sure is the 
footing of these mountaineers, that they are capable 
of bearing the traveller in this manner up to the 
summits of mountains much more difficult of ascent 
than the Pic du Midi. 

Before reaching the summit of the Tourmalet, 
the road, though neither rugged nor extremely 
steep, becomes so wearisome by its continued zig- 
zag course, that we dismounted, and walked a 
considerable distance. We had now a range of 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



279 



rocks, like giant battlements* on one side of us, 
and the snowy crags in the direction of the Pic on 
the other ; but the mountain over which we passed 
was comparatively smooth and verdant all the way ; 
so much so, that far above several patches of snow 
which still lay in the hollows, we could see flocks of 
sheep, and goats, and cattle, grazing on the green 
slopes amongst the scattered rocks. 

On gaining the highest summit, we saw before 
us an altered scene. Greenness, and beauty, 
and fertility, with the mountains above Grip and 
Campan lovely and varied in their colouring, but 
far inferior in magnificence and grandeur to those 
we were leaving behind. On looking back, the* 
long bold vista of the valley of the Bastan stretched 
in sight, the thousand pinnacles of its surrounding 
heights fiercely starting into the sky, as if to 
threaten the presumptuous traveller who might 
pass their trackless solitudes. Far in the distance 
we could still see the gentler outlines and the 
shadowy forms which had made the boundary of our 
horizon in the vale of Luz ; and over all the sun 
was shining with that magnificence of splendour, 
which brings every crag, and cleft, and shelving 
precipice to light, and which, falling on the pathless 
snows, converts them into fields of glittering gems. 

On descending the side of the Tourmalet to 



280 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Grip, the path, after winding for some distance 
over a perfectly smooth sward, becomes extremely 
rough and difficult; and Mr. Ellis's horse having 
proved an exception to the general rule of safe- 
footed animals, we were glad to find ourselves 
approaching human habitations, hoping that the 
village of Grip might not be far distant. The 
first of these was in the little hamlet of Trasme- 
sagues, composed entirely of the cottages of herds- 
men, whose chief support in these mountain habi- 
tations, is the milk of their own herds, and the 
cheeses of their own manufacture. The size of 
this establishment is considerable, when we see all 
its sheds, and yards, and roofs of huts, but little 
elevated above the ground ; and an idea of the 
industry of its inhabitants, as well as their pros- 
perity, was indicated by the number of beautifully 
polished brass vessels for their milk, hung out in 
the air, and glittering in the sun. 

From this place we found it still a long and 
weary descent to Grip, near which are three cele- 
brated waterfalls, one of them scarcely rivalled 
in beauty by any in the Pyrenees. There is 
also a magnificent view of the summit of the Pic, 
and the adjoining mountains, from this side ; but 
they were soon lost as we descended, and we were 
not sorry to shelter ourselves from the burning 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



281 



rays of the sun, in the little inn at Grip, where 
an excellent breakfast, with the never-failing trout, 
refreshed us for the rest of our journey to Bag- 
neres de Bigorre. 



282 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



CHAPTER X., 

BAGNERES DE BIGORRE MARBRORIE — VARIETIES OF 

KNITTING PRIORY OF ST. PAUL EXCURSION TO 

THE LAC BLEU VISIT OF LAMARTINE TO BAG- 
NERES MOONLIGHT RAMBLES EXCURSION TO 

l'heris. 

Bagneres de Bigorre is a pretty little town, 
and the only clean one I have seen in France. 
How far in this respect it may bear an examina- 
tion in detail, I am not able to say ; but the many 
limpid streams of crystal water that run along the 
sides of its streets, the cheerful and pleasant aspect 
of its houses, many of them ornamented with 
festoons of vine, and the neat and industrious 
character of its inhabitants, render its appearance 
. to a stranger more inviting than that of any other 
town in the neighbourhood of the Pyrenees. It is 
a place of delightful resort to the French, and 
scarcely less so to the English whose habits have 
assimilated with those of France, because it con- 
tains within itself during the season of the waters, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



283 



a little world of amusement and of fashion; because 
amongst its many beautiful promenades, there are 
few involving either difficulty or danger ; and be- 
cause it has a public place called Les Coustous, 
shaded by regular rows of trees, and surrounded by 
handsome shops and houses, where all kinds of 
marchands exhibit their tempting treasures, and 
where the many idlers whom illness or curiosity 
brings to the neighbourhood of the mountains, can 
loiter away their summer's evenings. 

It has its Frascati too, comprising all that is 
Parisian on a miniature scale ; where the amuse- 
ments and the gaiety which reign throughout the 
season, are surpassed only by those of some of the 
principal cities of France. 

All these, however, to some minds appear but 
ill-assorted with the grandeur of mountain scenery, 
and more especially with the different stages of 
bodily disease, under which a large proportion of 
these gay visitors are suffering. 

Although the lively and modern appearance of 
Bagneres presents little which carries back the 
mind to past ages, it has, notwithstanding, many 
just claims to antiquity, and was evidently well 
known to the Romans, from the different inscrip- 
tions which have been found relating to its baths, 
and expressive of the thankfulness of these con- 



284 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



querors of the world, for the benefit of its waters. 
Its two chief points of modern distinction are, its 
manufacture of the marble of the Pyrenees into the 
most beautiful articles of household furniture, and its 
knitting. For the former there are three large esta- 
blishments, well worth the attention of the stranger; 
and if to purchase some of the most beautiful tables, 
pedestals, mantel-pieces, slabs, or articles of a more 
curious and merely ornamental nature, be an 
object of desire, the proprietor engages to pay the 
carriage of any such article to Bordeaux, and to 
answer for its being safely shipped from that place, 
Unskilled as I am in the nature and character of 
marbles, I am unable to say which of the speci- 
mens we saw was the most valuable or rare. All 
were to me beautiful, — the price extremely reason- 
able, and the variety so great, that had I been a 
purchaser, the difficulty would have been where to 
choose. The only perfectly white marble found in 
the Pyrenees, and that which supplies much of the 
statuary in the Gardens of Paris, as well as adorns 
the chamber of the legislative assembly, is found at 
a considerable distance from Bagneres, in the 
valley d'Ossau. 

The other manufacture to which I have alluded, 
is of a much humbler nature, and is carried on by 
the women of this place, to an almost incredible 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



285 



degree of perfection. Whether it is from the 
beautiful texture of the Spanish wool, which is 
here easily obtained, or the native ingenuity of the 
people, I am unable to say ; but certainly some of 
the shawls and scarfs of their knitting, are scarcely 
to be rivalled by the finest lace. Counterpanes, 
however, are the chief articles of trade, and these 
are light and gauzy, yet extremely durable, and 
made in all patterns, and of every colour. Besides 
which, they knit the most beautiful fancy aprons, 
mittens, bags, and indeed every article of dress, 
and many of ornament. It is true they are in 
some measure indebted to the bright colours of 
the wool, setting off their work to advantage, but 
their own skill deserves no small share of praise ; 
for we see them seated at their doors, and even 
walking on the public roads, with the most disen- 
gaged and easy air imaginable; while a curious 
border of the richest flowers, or the flowing drapery 
of a graceful shawl, is growing between their 
^ngers. 

The situation of Bagneres is one which is gene- 
rally considered as possessing many advantages, 
being a wide and fertile plain, extending on one 
side as far as Tarbes, and having the far-famed vale 
of Campan, with the vicinity of the mountains, on 
the other. It is also rich above all other towns of 



286 SUMMER AND WINTER 

the Pyrenees, in lovely promenades; by which I 
mean those short excursions which can be enjoyed 
without fatigue. 

One of these, and that which generally claims 
the first attention of the stranger, is the Camp de 
Cesar, situated on a hill westward of Bagneres, 
and commanding a most extensive view, not only 
of the plain of Tarbes, and a vast tract of country 
beyond, but of a noble range of the neighbour- 
ing mountains; while Bagneres, with its pretty 
houses, its gardens, its shady walks, and woody 
slope rising behind the town, lies immediately 
beneath. 

But it would be endless to tell of the many 
fertile valleys, old chateaux, and points of view 
which are visited from this place, and which doubt- 
less owe some portion of their celebrity to the idle- 
ness or curiosity of the many visitors who throng 
the place, who, in some seasons, are said to have 
been as many as 8,000, and to whom anything in 
art or nature would be a welcome resource, if it 
furnished them with an excuse for a pic-nic, or an 
excursion. Indeed there is no place amongst the 
mountains, where any object to live for through 
the day, appears in such demand as at Bagneres. 
Perhaps I ought to make an exception of a single 
instance at Cauterets, which occurred under the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



287 



shrewd observation of our botanical friend, when 
pursuing his researches in the neighbourhood of 
that place. He was a good deal annoyed by a 
sauntering man, who followed him with a drum, 
and while stooping for his plants, it was not the 
most agreeable accompaniment to have this man 
beating his drum close beside him. He asked him 
at last why he did so. " Four passer le temps" was 
the Frenchman's very characteristic reply. 

Our arrival at Bagneres in the last week of June, 
was long before the commencement of the fashion- 
able season, which is later here than elsewhere. 
We had been received with a true English welcome 
by an amiable family from Devonshire, whose ac- 
quaintance we had made at Pau. In their company 
we paid our first visit to the Priory now commonly 
called the Chateau de St. Paul, situated in the 
valley of Campan, about four miles from Bagneres. 

This delightful situation was originally selected 
by the Abbe Torne, preacher to Louis XV., when 
renouncing his episcopal dignities, he fled from the 
vanities of the world, to terminate his days in this 
peaceful retreat. The many trees, some of ma- 
jestic growth, which now surround the mansion, are 
said to have been planted by him ; and the terraces 
shaded with stately poplars, which form so con- 
spicuous a feature in the scene, are attributed to 



288 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the Abbe's peculiar taste. Nor was his talent for 
improvement confined to what was merely orna- 
mental. The situation of St. Paul is one of the 
most tantalizing that can well be imagined to the 
cultivator of the soil. Placed on a promontory of 
ground between two lovely rivers, the sound of 
whose refreshing waters may always be heard from 
this position, it was wholly destitute of water, until 
the ingenuity of the Abbe conducted from the 
summit of a neighbouring mountain, into his own 
grounds, a stream which never fails, and which, 
being let off by lateral branches, renews the green- 
ness and luxuriance of the grassy slopes which 
extend from the chateau to the valleys on either 
side. Thus it presents the picture of an island of 
fertility and beauty, immediately behind which, rise 
the more sterile heights of a mountain, in some 
parts cultivated nearly to its summit, and in others 
broken into bold masses of grey rock; while 
farther still is a wide extent of dreary forest, once 
of stately pines, now almost entirely destroyed by 
fire. Above this again, and towering to the skies, 
is the Pic du Midi, rearing its giant crest over the 
surrounding mountains. 

Such is the noble back-ground of St. Paul. At 
the foot of the eminence on which the chateau 
stands, is the road from Bagneres to Grip, and 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



289 



beyond that the verdant fields of the valley of 
Campan, watered by the beautiful river Adour, 
which runs through Bagneres to Bayonne, and 
which we had seen on the summit of the Tour- 
malet, in its infant state, just dropping from stone 
to stone, beneath a sheet of melting snow. If 
an idea should be formed by any one who had 
heard of the unrivalled beauties of the valley of 
Campan, from that part of it which lies between 
Bagneres and the village to which it owes its name, 
and which is situated within half a mile from St. 
Paul, it certainly would be attended with disap- 
pointment. At least it was so with me. The 
valley is fertile and riante, but flat and tame in 
comparison with those of Luz and Argelez, and 
the long range of mountains which form its eastern 
boundary, even with flowery L'heris amongst them, 
bear no comparison with many other ranges in the 
Pyrenees. 

The valley of Lesponne, which opens into that 
of Campan immediately below St. Paul, is of a 
very different description. Here the surface of the 
ground presents every possible variety, from th# 
greenest slope, to the boldest precipice of rock; 
from the gentlest undulations, to the most craggy 
heights ; from the richest woods, to the most sterile 
wilds: and from the rugged outline of distant 
o 



290 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



mountains, to the pastoral scenery, the gardens, 
the orchards, and the fruitful fields of the straggling 
village on the banks of the stream, which, pouring 
down from the waters of the Lac Bleu, flows 
through this valley with a perpetual murmur, till 
it joins the Adour at a short distance from St. 
Paul. 

The road from Bagneres to St. Paul is the most 
attractive I have seen in France, because it winds 
with the course of the river, and in many places is 
delightfully shaded by trees. It loses the rays of the 
afternoon sun at an early hour of the day, in con- 
sequence of a high range of hills to the westward, 
whose sides are clothed with the rich foliage of 
chestnut woods. About half the way, you pass the 
old and ruinous monastery of Medous, much visited 
by strangers, on account of its source of crystal 
water which rises in the grounds, and which was 
formerly celebrated for its miraculous power. 

On the evening we first visited St. Paul, the sun 
was just setting, and the mountains to the westward 
of Lesponne were bathed in the richest tints of 
purple and gold ; except that Mont Aigu, a lofty 
mountain higher up the valley, and remarkable for 
its dark and sombre colouring, was already clothed 
in the shadowy tints of evening. Of all the habita- 
tions we had seen in France, St. Paul presented 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



291 



the most welcome, the most inviting aspect. We 
approached through an avenue of plane trees, and 
found a long, spacious, but comparatively low 
building, literally embowered in trees, from be- 
tween whose stately stems we looked down to the 
east and the west, into the two valleys I have de- 
scribed. 

Nor was the interior of the chateau less attract- 
ive than its outward aspect. The most delightful 
blending of the elegance of France with the com- 
fort of England, was to be found throughout. And 
the friends — but I must go no farther. It is 
enough to say, that with a delicacy which know T s 
how to take into account the feelings of the 
obliged, as well as the pleasure of conferring an 
obligation, arrangements were afterwards made for 
our remaining in this delightful retreat through 
the rest of the summer months, and made in 
such a manner, as to render St. Paul in every 
respect the kind of home of which we were in 
need, and for which we might have sought in vain 
elsewhere. 

The experience we had lately had of the effect 
of excessive heat upon the health of Mr. Ellis, 
convinced us that further travelling at this season 
was extremely undesirable. All the principal 
places of resort among the mountains, were crowded, 
o 2 



292 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



and consequently extremely expensive: Pau was 
uninhabitable to northern constitutions on account 
of its excessive heat; and the remote villages 
which one fancies before seeing them must be so 
pleasant at the foot of the mountains, require no 
very particular inspection to be assured that no 
English person could find a home in them. But 
St. Paul, even in the hottest weather, when a blaze 
of sunshine fell around us, was always cool : from 
its situation at the meeting of two valleys, it caught 
the current of air from both ; and the vicinity of 
the mountains, with the constant flow of the two 
rivers so near it, imparted a freshness to the air 
more invigorating and more delightful than can 
be described. 

Indeed the difference of the atmosphere between 
the mountains and the adjacent plains, is greater 
than could be imagined, without a personal ac- 
quaintance with the peculiarities of the climate of 
the Pyrenees. In the valley of Campan, vegeta- 
tion in the month of June, was little farther 
advanced than it is in England at the same season. 
The hay was not all gathered in, though that 
appears less extraordinary, when one sees that the 
people have to carry it all on their heads, and that 
this is performed chiefly by women. While the 
cornfields were still green around St. Paul, we 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



293 



heard that the harvest was all finished in the neigh- 
bourhood of Montauban, and even at Tarbes, a 
distance of about fifteen miles, it was at least a 
month earlier. The weather, which on our arrival 
at Bagneres was intensely hot, assumed a more 
variable character than that of which we complain 
so much in England ; for we seldom had more 
than two or three days of heat, without its being 
followed by thunder-storms, which in their turn 
were succeeded by at least a week of cold; and 
often when we could see through the opening in 
the mountains to the northward, that the sunshine 
was smiling on the plain of Tarbes, cold mists 
were rolling over the hills around us ; while the 
atmosphere of St. Paul was certainly as cold 
as we ever experienced in England during the 
summer. 

During our residence at St. Paul, we made many 
excursions. One to the Lac Bleu was perhaps the 
most memorable, from the singularity of the scenes 
it afforded us an opportunity of beholding, and the 
difficult ascent of the mountain beyond whose sum- 
mit the lake is situated. We had heard much of 
the Lac Bleu, but not being able to meet with any 
one who had seen it, nor to learn any facts relating 
to its distance or accessibility, w T e set out in a state 
of happy ignorance of what we might meet with by 



294 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the way. As usual, the horses we had engaged at 
Bagneres, failed us at the appointed time, an evil 
which must always be calculated upon, and we 
were consequently several hours too late ; for the 
mountain mists, which so frequently gather towards 
noon, by this delay had time to get the advance 
of us ; but we jogged away at a brisk pace along 
the valley of Lesponne, too much occupied with 
its variety and beauty, to be very anxious how we 
might spend the remainder of the day. 

In passing along this valley, Mont Aigu rears its 
dark summit immediately to the right; the forest 
of burnt pines forming part of a high range of 
mountains, runs to the left ; and beyond these, the 
Pic du Midi towers high above them all. The 
air was then so clear, that we could have distin- 
guished a goat on its topmost crag ; and we could 
distinctly see a little hut of rude stories, erected 
there for the accommodation of two travellers, who 
spent several days on its summit, for the purpose 
of making scientific observations. 

The valley, as we advanced, became wilder, the 
cottages less frequent, and cultivation more sparing, 
though the same beautiful stream still flowed be- 
side our path. It seemed as if we were drawing 
near the end of the world — all was so still, and so 
shut in from human fellowship. At last no houses 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



295 



were to be seen, only those huts or kraals, built 
half in the ground, with low sloping roofs, for the 
shelter of the cattle, — but still the same stream, 
and a noble amphitheatre of mountains, amongst 
which we could not discover the least appearance 
of a passage. Our guide, however, conducted us 
across the stream, when we all rested on the green 
bank at the foot of a dark beech wood, through 
which we had to pass, and thus to make our way 
into another opening amongst the hills. The 
party persisted in mounting again, and trying the 
skill of their horses in threading the mazes of this 
thicket, which grew amongst large masses of slip- 
pery rock ; but the ascent soon becoming alarm- 
ingly steep, and the rocks more precipitous, we 
thought it best to abandon our horses, and proceed 
the rest of the way on foot. 

For some time after this our path was very 
pleasant. We entered upon a wide hollow valley, 
strewn with rocks which had fallen from the 
surrounding heights. The sun was shining without 
a cloud, though not without some of those insidious 
mists which already began to creep after us along 
the sides of the hills ; but thus far they only 
seemed to add to the height and the sublimity of 
the craggy peaks above. Within the silent valley 
along which we trod, it seemed as if no human 



296 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



foot had ever been before; yet even here was a 
single shepherd's hut, most bleak and solitary, for 
there was no tree in this vast wilderness, only shrubs 
of rhododendron and beautiful wild flowers. 

On our left there rose almost precipitously from 
the plain, and towering at a far height into the 
sky, vast ranges of those rocky piles so frequent in 
the Pyrenees, and which constitute perhaps the 
most striking feature in their scenery. They con- 
sist of abrupt and broken crags, towering up in 
peaky summits, often so cleft and shattered, as to 
leave narrow gullies or ravines of enormous depth 
between them. They are composed of slaty rock 
and marble, sometimes of the richest purple, tinged 
with streaks of red and yellow. The most beauti- 
ful aspect they present is when the brilliant sun- 
light gleams in and amongst them, as it did this 
day, glowing through their peaks and pillars, down 
the sides of the mountain, where the grass lay, 
even at that far height, like the richest velvet, — 
where dark pines were growing, and where flocks 
of sheep and goats were browsing in peace, looking 
rather as if suspended against the side, than resting 
on the mountain. 

I am aware that description can do little towards 
conveying an idea of such pictures, never to be 
effaced from the memory of those who have beheld 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



297 



them ; for after all, it is from the atmosphere, the 
sunshine, the enchanting brilliancy of a southern 
climate, that the scenery of the Pyrenees is so 
rarely rivalled in its beauty. 

To the right of the valley were the same lofty 
peaks, with a less precipitous ascent extending to 
them, yet still so steep and rugged, as to look, to 
my inexperienced eye, almost as inaccessible as the 
moon; and before us, a little to the right, the 
view was bounded by a torrent, which fell from 
an amazing height, and dashed its way through 
the hollow or basin below, down to the valley of 
Lesponne. 

Immediately to the left of this cascade, the scene 
was lost in vapour; and for some time I was too 
much occupied to look up, with a violent throbbing 
in my head and temples, which on such occasions, 
while exposed to the blazing sunshine, was often 
very troublesome : when suddenly a shout from 
my companions aroused my attention, and I looked, 
and the mist had disappeared ; and a mountain, 
the most sublime I ever beheld or imagined, ap- 
peared before us, apparently bending over our 
heads. It was probably the blending of the mist 
and the sunshine, which increased the extraordi- 
nary effect produced ; for it appeared to be close 
upon us, yet reaching to the sky ; and so clear and 
o 3 



298 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



vivid was the blaze of light which fell upon its 
almost perpendicular surface, that every rock and 
cave, with all the blue slate and yellow marble, 
and green herbage on its vast extent of surface, 
looked as distinct as if reflected in a glass held up 
immediately before our eyes. 

It was now time to commence our ascent to the 
right, and well it was that we all scrambled on in 
perfect ignorance of the distance or the difficulties 
of our way. All our past fatigues amongst the 
mountains had been mere pastime compared with 
this. I thought more than once, that I should 
have been obliged to give the matter up, and 
remain amongst the rhododendrons and coarse 
slippery grass ; and had it not appeared still more 
difficult to get down again, than to get up, I might 
never have seen the Lac Bleu. The ascent was 
so steep, the grass so slippery, and the stones so 
loose and deceitful, that my only chance of safety 
seemed to be when I found the bed of some tor- 
rent, where the rocks were too large to give way. 

In this manner we toiled on until four hours 
had elapsed from the time of leaving our horses : 
when joyful shouts, from the foremost of our party, 
announced that they had reached the lake ; and, 
encouraged by their success, we soon found our- 
selves upon its banks. It is a basin, or tarn, in 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



299 



a hollow at the top of a mountain, and sur- 
rounded by bare craggy peaks of the most curious 
formation, within whose declivities the snow always 
remains. The lake itself is an oval about two 
miles in length. It is a solitary spot, with no 
house, or tree, or living thing to be seen its vici- 
nity, a stillness almost death-like reigning around. 
It might be dreary, but for the rich warm colouring 
of the rocks, the depth and stillness of the water, 
and its intense blue, from whence it takes its 
name. The surface is like an emerald sea ; and 
there is neither ripple, nor oar, nor shelving shore 
where boat could be stranded, except in one parti- 
cular spot, where we seated ourselves, and where 
the torrent which had formed a sort of landmark 
to us through the valley, pours down from the lake. 

I never can forget the strangeness and the still- 
ness of this place. We had time to give one 
delighted survey of its beauties, and only one; 
when a thin misty cloud, which had pursued us up 
the mountain, overspread the whole ; and though 
it sometimes passed for a moment, so that we 
could distinctly see a part, it grew thicker and 
thicker, until we lost all the grand outlines of the 
scene. Some of our party succeeded in reaching 
a point from w T hence another lake can be seen, as 
well as this, called the green lake ; but this can 



300 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



only be in fine weather. On the day of our 
luckless exploit, we could see nothing but each 
other, and that rather indistinctly. 

Our guide, who really knew little about the 
matter, had promised to take us by an easier way 
back ; and in spite of the fog, we at last set off 
much refreshed by our dinner, and none of us 
really the worse for our fatigue. In order to 
pursue this new way, we crossed the stream, and 
then turned round the side of the mountain im- 
mediately above the fall of the torrent, scrambling 
along a path of jagged rock, so narrow as only to 
admit of one foot being set down at once, with the 
cascade thundering below us into a world of mist, 
and a perpendicular rock immediately on our left. 
This, however, was not the worst of our route ; for 
though the catching of our dress upon any of the 
points of rock, might have precipitated us into the 
bed of the torrent, by exercising a little care, there 
was really no danger: but we soon after came to 
hollows in the sides of the mountain, where beds 
of snow and loose stones had slid down, and left no 
footing. In one place, in particular, an immense 
hollow, or groove of loose earth, almost perpendi- 
cular, with neither bush nor twig to lay hold of, 
presented an obstacle which I thought it impossible 
to surmount; nor was it until one of our party had 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



301 



kindly made foot-prints in the slippery earth, that 
I could attempt to pass. From the thickness of 
the mist, too, our guide was often at a loss where 
to lead us ; while such was the deceitful nature of 
the ground on which we trod, that often before one 
foot had reached its place, the other had sent down 
a whole bed of stones on which it had been rest- 
ing, to thunder their way to the bottom of the 
mountain. 

Nor were these personal difficulties all we had 
to excite uneasiness. A gentleman of our party, 
who had gone in search of the Green Lake, had 
lost his way in the mist ; and though we had 
called and waited for him a whole hour, he was 
neither to be seen nor heard. He told us after- 
wards, when he had happily rejoined us in the 
valley, that he had become completely bewildered 
by the fog, — that when attempting to descend, he 
had gone completely round a mountain, finding 
nothing but impracticable precipices on every side ; 
but at last most providentially meeting with a 
peasant, he was safely conducted by him to the 
valley, where we all arrived in safety. 

On reaching the hill side, where we had left our 
horses, we found them all safe under the care of a 
peasant, and were not sorry to mount them again ; 
for even the native trot was a luxury, after such 



302 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



fatigue as we had experienced ; and although the 
cold mists were still around us, though not so 
thickly as on the heights, we soon forgot both them 
and our past difficulties, in the hospitable welcome 
of St. Paul. 

I find it noticed in my journal, that on the 4th 
of August, the real summer of the Pyrenees had 
set in ; an observation which originated in there 
having been four of five sunny days, without a 
thunder-storm. The weather was then extremely 
hot at Bagneres, but at St. Paul we still enjoyed 
the green shades, the rustling breezes, and the 
perpetual flow of fresh cool water. The moon was 
then in the height of her beauty ; and at night we 
used to sit out upon the terrace looking towards 
the valley of Lesponne, where her beams were the 
brightest, until nearly ten o'clock. We used, in 
short, almost to live in the open air; for the 
rustling leaves of the tall poplars, the cool green 
alleys where the wind swept through, and the deep 
shadow of majestic trees, constituted the luxury, 
and no trifling one it was, of our mountain life. 
Delicacy forbids that I should say how much this 
luxury was enhanced by association with those 
elements of human character, which combine all 
that is most distinguished and excellent in France, 
with all that is most noble in the deeper tone of 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



303 



feeling which belongs to our native land. The 
youngest members of the family, however, I must 
mention, because they were the two happiest, most 
amiable, and interesting children I ever knew ; and 
never were our evening pictures so complete, as 
when our walks were enlivened by their gambols 
with one of the finest of the race of mountain dogs. 

Notwithstanding the excessive heat of the wea- 
ther, to which I have alluded, the skies were so 
clear, and the aspect of nature so inviting, that a 
party was again arranged for the Lac Bleu ; and 
in order to see it to greater advantage, their plans 
were laid for setting out the evening before, and 
sleeping in a tent at the foot of the mountains. 
This party consisted of five ladies, seven gentle- 
men, four guides, and a donkey laden with provi- 
sions. Mr. Ellis accompanied them, his object 
being to make a sketch of the singularly formed 
mountains around the lake; and though I had 
determined to remain behind, I confess my reso- 
lution was somewhat shaken, when I saw them 
mounting their horses, and riding down the avenue, 
conducted by our kind and generous host, w T hose 
consideration for others, and habits of order and 
arrangement, often of the highest value on more 
important occasions, were never wanting when 
they could add to the comfort or enjoyment of his 



304 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



friends. Our view from the terrace commanded a 
considerable extent of the lovely valley of Les- 
ponne ; and we stood and watched " them on their 
winding way," the clear moon shining over their 
path, and appearing to invite them on, towards 
the mountains behind which she was about to set. 

For us who remained at home it became the 
duty for the evening, before retiring to rest, to 
make the circuit of the little farm and premises, 
tto see that all was safe in the absence of the 
master. Between the hours of nine and ten, the 
poor women were still at work in the fields ; and 
we met several of the peasants stealing barefoot 
down the hills, with their load of corn upon their 
heads, fastened up into an enormous sheaf, in the 
middle of which the man's head was buried, the 
ears of the corn being downwards round about 
him. 

The next evening our travellers returned, highly 
delighted with their excursion ; and what was very 
tantalizing to me to hear, in consequence of their 
having better guides, they had found a much more 
practicable path. They had not used their tent 
for shelter during the night, but had lodged in a 
less romantic manner, in a hay-loft over a barn, 
and were thus enabled to reach the lake before the 
sun had attained its greatest power. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



305 



We had not long been residents in the valley of 
Campan, without discovering that, isolated as the 
situation of St. Paul at first appears, it is not unfre- 
quently the resort of the gay world from Bagneres, 
from which town parties flock to every place that 
is worth seeing, and many which are not, fre- 
quently stopping at the grounds of St. Paul, and 
asking to see the chateau. In such a land of 
visitors, it was to be expected that occasionally 
some would arrive whose celebrity had previously 
extended even to these mountains. Amongst this 
number was the eastern traveller and poet Lamar- 
tine, of whose arrival at Bagneres we were acci- 
dentally told, on the evening when this event was 
to be celebrated by a serenade of mountain music. 

Impelled by a natural curiosity to hear and see 
all that is peculiar to such remote regions as the 
Pyrenees, we set off late in the evening to walk to 
Bagneres, and arrived just as the crowd was ga- 
thering about the door of the hotel, where the 
musicians were already stationed. The moon had 
not neglected the occasion, but rose above the tops 
of the mountains, in the most poetic splendour. 
The people — so unlike an English crowd — were 
perfectly still ; and when the music began, and 
the poet and his party leaned forward from the 
window, my thoughts went back to his strange 



306 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



visit to that wonderful woman, Lady Hester 
Stanhope. 

Never was a night more suited to a serenade. 
The music was good, the moonlight splendid. 
One of the poet's own pieces was sung, when he 
seemed to hang forward with peculiar interest. 
At last we had a song in patois, when the people 
could hold their peace no longer, but burst into 
fits of laughter, either at the wit, or the familiarity 
of their own tongue. But that which pleased me 
best, indeed the only thing we really went to hear, 
was one of the wild chants of the mountains, sung 
by three or four voices ; and a fine spirit-stirring 
thing it was. We could only catch here and there 
a few words, but they were such as, in union 
with the air, brought vividly to mind, images and 
associations connected with the mountain winds, 
the sparkling torrents, the bounding goats, and all 
that belongs to the bold free life of a "brave 
montagnardr 

When Lamartine concluded his speech to the 
people, there was scarcely so much as the clap of a 
hand to be heard ; but their silence was infinitely 
more expressive on such a night ; and I was much 
impressed with the fitness of the scene altogether 
for a poet's welcome. 

The road from Bagneres to St. Paul is, of all I 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



307 



have here seen, the best adapted for a moonlight 
walk ; and never did it look more so than on this 
night. Unlike most French roads, it winds with the 
course of the river, which, always impetuous, swells 
into a broad stream, before it reaches Bagneres. 
The outline of the mountains was on this night as 
clear as at noon-day ; the cottages in the villages 
which cluster along the valley, looked white in the 
moonlight ; the shadows of the poplars across our 
path were dark, and tall, and majestic as the trees 
themselves ; while the cool rustling of their leaves, 
and the rush of the glancing water, as we saw it 
sparkling between their stems, sent a freshness to 
the feelings, which in colder climates never can be 
so fully enjoyed. 

It was early in the month of August, that we 
first perceived in the atmosphere of the mountains, 
that autumnal feeling, of which it is so difficult to 
say in what it consists. Scarcely a leaf had then 
changed its hue, the green maize was still waving 
in the sunshine ; and yet there was something in 
the air, and in the general aspect of nature, which 
made the mind involuntarily recur to those Sep- 
tember mornings, when the harvest fields of England 
are stripped of their yellow sheaves, and when the 
sportsman goes forth to range the woods with his 
delighted dogs. One symptom, too, of the approach 



308 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



of autumn, was the number of sheep which daily 
came down from their summer pasturage in the 
mountains, with their tinkling bells, some of them 
so loud, that we could hear them in the night as 
the flocks passed along the road. 

We now began to find more enjoyment in our 
rambles, and to extend them to a greater distance 
amongst the neighbouring hills. On one of the 
first of these autumnal evenings, we set out about 
five o'clock, for a walk which had become a great 
favourite with Mr. Ellis. It was to the top of a 
ridge of hills, from whence we could distinctly see 
the Pic du Midi, the mountains around the Lac 
Bleu, and Mont Aigu immediately before us; while 
the valley of Lesponne with its carpet of verdure, 
lay far down beneath. This valley is remarkable 
for being flanked on one side by an almost perpen- 
dicular ridge of limestone rock. Crossing a crystal 
stream which always flowed with the same pure 
and rapid current, we ascended one of these ridges 
by a slanting path, which led us out at the summit 
upon a beautiful plain of green sward, as smooth 
as velvet, and tufted here and there with fern ; the 
only spot I have ever seen amongst the Pyrenees, 
resembling an English common. 

Before advancing many yards upon this soft 
green turf, we saw another valley, almost parallel 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



309 



with Lesponne, stretching more to the west, and 
lying as it were, almost at our feet. This valley, 
and the hills which slope down into it, are remark- 
able for the excellence of their cultivation. It is 
studded all over with orchards and cottages, but 
still more thickly with those low thatched barns, 
whose white gables gleam out from little tufts of 
trees, planted about them for shelter from the 
storms. At the bottom of the valley runs a rapid 
stream, while the sides of the opposite hills are so 
steep, and the space between so narrow, that the 
labourers, whose voices echoed from side to side, 
could distinctly hear each other call, and that at a 
great height up the mountains. 

The hill, which we had set out with the purpose 
of ascending, lies between this valley and Lesponne. 
It is shaped like the roof of a house, and from its 
highest and most distant point, is a view which can 
scarcely be exceeded for its variety and beauty. It 
is, however, no pastime to attain this point, and by 
the time we reached the summit, the Pic du Midi 
had just caught the last golden rays of the setting 
sun. We had watched them fading away, first from 
one, and then another of the mountains of Campan 5 
and now the huge dark mass of Mont Aigu seemed 
to lie like a sleeping monster before us, so black, 
that it was almost frightful ; while far down at its 



310 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



base, in the deep valley of Lesponne, the tinkling 
of the sheep bells, the glimmering of the lights in 
the cottage windows, the softened murmuring of 
the Adour ; and then, the full round moon rising 
with a mellow light over all, in a few moments pro- 
duced that magical transition from day to night, 
which in these southern latitudes, is as startling as 
beautiful. 

The depth of the valley, and the height of the 
mountains, now seemed doubled, by that myste- 
rious mingling of light and shade, which spread 
rapidly over the scene, until the full moon gained 
the ascendancy; and while she sailed in solemn 
pomp along the sky, huge pinnacles of rock gleamed 
forth from their hiding-places; rich woods and 
cultivated slopes caught the influence of her silvery 
light ; and not the least lovely portions of the scene, 
the innumerable white gables of little rustic build- 
ings, glanced out to view, each from its separate 
bower of green foliage. 

Such were not unfrequently our evening rambles. 
Sometimes we spent the whole day amongst the 
hills, and on one occasion in particular, I recollect 
setting out on a clear, cool, fresh morning, when a 
canopy of clouds still rested over the Pic du Midi 
and Mont Aigu, while the hills on the opposite side 
of the valley of Campan, were perfectly clear. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



311 



Our intention wa3 to climb the range of mountains 
which bounded our view to the eastward, rising to 
a narrow rocky ridge, over which is seen the higher 
crest of L'heris, called from its beautiful spring 
flowers, the Garden of the Pyrenees. 

Half-way up this range of hills, is a sort of land- 
mark beyond all cultivation, a long low hut for the 
accommodation of the shepherds who tend their 
flocks on these heights. At each end of the build- 
ing, stand two tall poplars ; and there is something 
in the solitary aspect of this rude dwelling, that 
tempts one to visit it, though few would be aware, 
until they reached the actual spot, either of the 
difficulties of the ascent, or the extent of view it 
commands. To the north is Bagneres, with the 
fertile plain of Tarbes beyond ; to the west, the 
bleak summit of Mont Aigu, with the mountains 
of the Lac Bleu in the direction of Bareges ; the 
Pic du Midi and the beautiful valley of Lesponne ; 
with that of Campan and its murmuring Adour, at 
the foot of the mountain on which this hut is built. 

From the opposite side of the valley, it is easy 
to distinguish the zigzag path which leads to the 
hut, but often as I have attempted, I never could 
find it on a nearer view ; and the friends who 
followed us, and who were more fortunate, confessed 
they had been much beholden to a donkey which 



312 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



was accustomed to ascend that way in fetching 
burdens of box-wood to the village of Campan. 
As usual, I worked my way in the bed of a dried- 
up stream, for I never feel so safe in a steep ascent, 
as when I have solid rocks to lay hold of. By the 
time we reached the hut, a brisk north wind had 
separated the clouds into distinct white masses, 
and nothing could be more invigorating than the 
whole scene. We found, however, on gaining the 
hut, that we were but half-way to the summit, and 
the sun being full upon us, the remainder of the 
way was sufficiently wearisome. 

These hills, like most of the Pyrenees, are 
broken at the top and jagged into thousands of 
pinnacles, amongst which the shepherds drive their 
sheep and goats to find pasturage for the day. On 
one of the highest crags of this mountain, where 
he might well fancy himself monarch of all he 
surveyed, sat a solitary shepherd-boy, singing with 
all his might until the rocks echoed, I can hardly 
say with his melody ; yet doubtless it was melody 
to him, in comparison with that silence which 
the French find it impossible to endure, because it 
reminds them of solitude. 

Soon after entering the region of crags and 
pinnacles, we found ourselves standing on the sharp 
ridge of the mountain, as the traveller stands on 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



313 



the summit of Helvelyn, looking down into the 
lonely and melancholy tarn. Instead of this tarn, 
we looked down into a little bower of beauty, filled 
with beech wood, fern, and moss ; so cool — for the 
sun could never enter there for more than an hour 
or two in the morning ; while far away to the east- 
ward, stretched a wide tract of country leading to 
Toulouse. 

I have often noticed in this climate, the strange 
alternations of feeling one experiences in passing 
immediately from sunshine into shade ; but I never 
felt it so forcibly as this day, on stepping a few 
paces down the eastern side of the mountain, 
where the cold and damp were like those of a 
sepulchre. There is much of this sensation to be 
felt even in passing amongst streets and houses ; 
and when I, who was in perfect health, have not 
been able to bear it without a shudder, I have 
often wondered how it was endured by the many 
invalids who flock to these regions. 

On this day I was glad to leave the chill and 
damp of the beech wood, for a higher path which 
led from one ridge to another, into a high grassy 
sort of plain, where the cattle driven up from 
Campan were feeding, where a few shepherd's huts 
were scattered, and where we seemed to be in a 
sort of green basin, one side of which was guarded 
p 



314 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



by the celebrated L'heris, which, whatever may be 
its flowery beauties in the spring, looks stern and 
sterile in the autumn, one side presenting a per- 
pendicular surface of bare rock, on the green crest 
of which, I suppose, the flowers which attract so 
many travellers are gathered. 

We found upon the grassy plain I have described, 
one of the happiest-looking groups I ever re- 
member to have seen, — a party of village boys 
and women, who had been up to the woods to 
gather nuts, and were returning with their sacks 
full of treasure, and their hearts full of glee. At 
a fountain near which they had been resting on the 
grass before we disturbed them, some of the party 
went to drink, and, never at a loss for expedients, 
one of the women made a basin of her scarlet 
capulet, and drank out of it. 

This pure stream, however, was not enough for 
me ; for the keen mountain air, and the length of 
time we had been in ascending, had given me a 
craving for something more substantial. I asked 
one of the women, therefore, if she could procure 
me some bread and milk from one of the cowherds' 
huts ; and away she ran, clattering over the rocks 
with her wooden shoes, until, finding them a hin- 
drance to her progress, they were soon slipped off ; 
while we sat down and watched her tracking her 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



315 



way amongst the masses of grey stone, until she 
reached the huts, which, from the rudeness of their 
structure, were scarcely distinguishable from the 
rest of the mountain, except from the gable form 
of their walls and roofs. 

The woman soon returned with bread and milk 
enough for half a dozen people. Both were good, 
but the bread, of the coarsest kind ever eaten here, 
notwithstanding its sweetness, was so tough, that it 
enabled me to account for what had often puzzled 
me before, why the peasants of the Pyrenees lose 
their teeth so early, and apparently without any 
defect in the teeth themselves. I now suspect 
it arises from their, eating almost continually, this 
dry tough bread, which literally draws their teeth, 
or forces them out without the common process 
of destruction. 

On returning to the rocky ridge from whence 
we had first obtained a view to the eastward, we 
found our friends from St. Paul, who had just 
attained the summit, and who had suffered much 
from the heat of the afternoon sun having been 
full upon them as they wound round the hollow of 
the mountain. They were therefore glad to take 
advantage of the cool beech wood; and while 
standing with them, they pointed out to us the 
steep path by which travellers ascend from Bag- 
p2 



316 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



neres to L'heris, and which winds along this woody 
and sunless dell. They explained to us also, what 
is considered one of the wonders of Bagneres, a 
curious kind of snare for catching wild pigeons, 
situated not very distant from this place. To us it 
appeared nothing more than a regular row of lofty 
trees on the ridge of a hill, but when the trap is in 
operation, it consists of long poles fastened to these 
trees at almost twice their height ; and in little 
baskets fixed at the top of these poles, are seated 
men who have a perfect command over wide thin 
nets, which are placed from tree to tree, so that 
when they see the pigeons enter the snare, they 
can draw the nets together by cords and pulleys, 
and thus secure the birds. It is said these men 
make all speed to come down on the first awakening 
of a wind, and no wonder. 

When we turned from the summit of the moun- 
tain to descend, the sun was declining, and the 
clouds, partially rolled away from the highest peaks 
to the westward, left them covered with the hue 
and the splendour of gold ; particularly one moun- 
tain to the left, which we always called the fan 
mountain, from its presenting a vast radiated sur- 
face, somewhat in the shape of a fan, and on this 
afternoon, each ray, catching the colours of the 
west, appeared to shine with a glory of its own. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



317 



There is something peculiarly delightful in de- 
scending a mountain, and just reaching its foot 
as the shadows of evening steal on. On this day 
we enjoyed such pleasure in perfection, for we 
could hear the gentle murmuring of the Adour in 
the valley below, while there was just light enough 
left to see the glancing of its crystal waters. If to 
such enjoyment we could more frequently add the 
welcome of an English home, the world would be 
too happy, and we should love it too well. 



318 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



CHAPTER XL 

ADVANTAGES OF LIVING AT BAGNERES FRENCH 

BEGGING JOURNEY TO CAUTERETS, AND VISIT TO 

THE CASTLE OF LOURDES SPANIARDS PONT 

D'ESPAGNE, AND THE LAC DE GAUBE RETURN 

BY WAY OF LUZ TO BAGNERES. 

The town of Bagneres possesses' many advan- 
tages to English as well as French visitors, and it 
is consequently the favourite resort of many 
families, who find the heat of Pau too oppressive 
for the summer months. Amongst its highest 
recommendations are the religious services of an 
excellent French protestant minister from Tarbes, 
who preaches every Sunday through the summer 
season, to a congregation of from fifty to a hundred 
persons, in a public room appropriated to that 
purpose. There are many occasions also, when 
English service is held at Bagneres ; for amongst 
the numbers of clergymen who visit this country with 
that peculiar affection of the throat which seems 
to be increasingly attendant upon their labours at 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



319 



home, it not unfrequently happens that some are 
still able to take the lighter duty of occasional 
services abroad ; and the welcome with which these 
efforts are received by numerous congregations, 
testifies how much the absence of the accustomed 
means of religious instruction is felt abroad. 

Would that the influence of the many English 
visitors who flock to this country, was commensu- 
rate in its good effects upon society, with their 
apparent interest in occasional religious observances. 

We have been told on good authority, that there 
are residing in Paris, between fifteen and twenty 
thousand English ; and in France altogether, in- 
cluding Paris, sixty thousand, and that their expen- 
diture exceeds four millions sterling annually. 

That this influx of English people does produce 
an impression on the minds of the French, favour- 
able to the integrity and good faith of our country, 
is observable from the extraordinary manner in 
which the English are trusted in all money matters, 
by the tradespeople here ; but there are other im- 
pressions received along with this, equally powerful, 
and perhaps equally just. The same gentleman, 
for instance, whose statement of the number of 
visitors I have just copied, in speaking of the 
English taste for strong wine observed, that our 
countrymen love the "wine which speaks to the 



320 SUMMER AND WINTER 

throat f and the mayor of Bagneres, during our 
residence in that neighbourhood, was heard to ob- 
serve one day, that Bagneres would attract a greater 
number of English visitors than any other town in 
the Pyrenees, if he could ensure for them always 
a clergyman, and — beef, an article of consumption 
but rarely met with amongst the mountains. 

The influence of fashionable visitors upon the 
habits of the people, is certainly more visible at 
Bagneres, than elsewhere in this part of France ; 
and there is an air of greater coquetry amongst 
the young women, whose pretty head-dresses render 
them almost always attractive. Still, like the in- 
habitants of half-civilized countries, when they first 
assume the embellishments of artificial life, there 

a discrepancy in their personal adornments, as 
novel as it is amusing, to an English observer. I 
thought, for instance, when I had seen a woman 
without stockings, her bare foot adorned with neat 
sandals and smart shoes, that I had witnessed a, 
somewhat extraordinary spectacle ; but Mr. Ellis 
afterwards saw a much smarter person in Bagneres 
without stockings, while her feet were set off to still 
greater advantage by white satin slippers. 

The country people too, in the valiey of Campan, 
are of a very different order from those of the 
valley d'Ossau, probably owing to this district 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



321 



having been for a much longer time the resort of 
strangers. They are almost all beggars, either 
positively or indirectly; and time being the only 
thing of no value amongst them, they run after 
you with nosegays, and all sorts of things, to obtain 
a sous ; while an offer to show you the grotto, is 
echoed from almost every hill side. I have seen a 
youth of seventeen, standing all day beside the 
gate of St. Paul, offering to all who passed by, a 
little rose-bud not bigger than a nut, and I have 
often been asked to see the grotto after dark in 
the evening. 

Their direct beggary is annoying, but not im- 
pressive. The beggars by profession, begin as soon 
as you are in sight, with a monotonous drawl 
of set words, all pronounced on one key, and pre- 
cisely the same to every passer by. Perhaps it is 
well for their own interest, that they generally ask 
you to give for the merit of the gift, or the prayers 
they promise to breathe for you, for certainly there 
is nothing in themselves to prompt it. How dif- 
ferent have I often thought it was from the genuine 
eloquence of Irish beggary, which makes the heart 
ache so bitterly, that it would be almost a relief 
to give one's last sixpence ! The begging in France 
is simply asking for money, while the beggar often 
looks all the time as comfortable and well fed as 
p3 



322 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



yourself. It is true they ask only for one sous, but 
in the valley of Campan, when you have given 
them that, they make no scruple to ask you for 
another. Nor is this only on the public roads. 
There is scarcely any place so retired, but you 
hear the pattering of little bare feet behind you? 
then loud breathing which diffuses around you the 
perfume of garlic, and as soon as you look round, 
the demand is made, and persisted in for a length 
of time proportioned to the ability of the supplicant 
to keep pace with you. 

Of the pleasant walks, many of them alone, which 
I have taken in the neighbourhood of Campan, 
this system of importunity has destroyed much of 
my enjoyment. There was also a disposition in 
the people to talk with me, to pity me for being 
alone, and to accommodate their pace to mine, 
asking questions all the way, which rendered my 
walks anything but solitary. All this it may be 
said, might have been both instructive and inter- 
esting, and to no one would it have been more 
so than to me, but for their unintelligible patois. 

This language, which is properly that of Beam, 
is a mixture of French and Spanish. All public 
documents were written in it until the reign of 
Louis XIII. It is about a century since a native 
poet, Despourrins, born at Aecous in the valley 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



323 



d'Aspe, published a collection of songs and tales in 
this language, said to be extremely touching in their 
interest, and adapted to the feelings and habits of 
the people amongst whom he lived. These are 
extremely popular amongst the country people. 

The range of the Bearnais patois is very limited. 
At Tarbes, only twenty-five miles east from Pan, 
a different idiom is spoken ; and thirty miles to the 
westward, the Basque only is used. This last is 
entirely different from the various provincial patois 
of the south of France, and it might be a question 
of interest, whether from some points of similarity 
to the Arabic, it might not have been introduced 
by the refugee Moors, driven from Spain in the 
year 1492. 

Few of the peasant women understand French 
beyond a few words, but it is rare to meet with a man 
who does not, though we have occasionally found a 
shepherd, who had no other means of making us 
answer to his importunate question of the hour of 
day, than by repeating the word montre. That the 
men understand the French language so much 
better than the women, is accounted for by the 
military services of the latter having drawn them 
so much more away from their rural homes. 

A proposal having been made to us to accompany 
some young friends on a tour of three days to 



324 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Cauterets and the neighbourhood, and the weather 
being then sufficiently cool to prevent all danger 
from exposure to the sun, we set out for that place 
in the first week of September. We had then had 
a long series of wet days, and the morning of our 
journey looked anything but promising. However, 
we hoped for the best, and having the companion- 
ship of young and buoyant spirits, went cheerfully 
on our way, relieved by a canopy of clouds, from 
all apprehension of suffering from the heat. 

For four or five miles, our route lay along the 
perfect flat extending from Bagneres to Tarbes. 
We then turned to the left, in a direction towards 
Pau, and travelled along a beautifully undulating 
line of hills, richly cultivated, and clothed with 
vines. Looking back from the highest of these to 
the mountains we were leaving, a splendid scene 
opened upon our view. The mists were then 
rolling away from the summits of the mountains, 
and the Pic du Midi, and Mont Aigu, rose out of 
their vapoury beds, majestic in their elevation, and 
clothed with that purple blackness, which neither 
pen nor pencil can describe. Upon the fleecy clouds 
which rolled down their sides, and along the valleys, 
the sun was then shining, and making them look 
like masses of molten silver; while far away to 
the left, stretched the mountains of Bagneres de 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



325 



Luchon, many of them sheeted with snow which 
never melts. 

As the day advanced, our hopes of fine weather 
advanced with it, though we had still some showers 
of drizzling rain, which after all, were more wel- 
come to me than the heat I had experienced on 
my first journey through the valley of Argelez. 
We found that vegetation was here much more 
advanced, and more vigorous than at the foot of 
the mountains. There the Indian corn had not 
arrived at its full height, here it was already stripped 
of its leaves and tops, which are used as fodder for 
the cattle, leaving the naked plant nothing to do 
but nourish and perfect the ear. In the immediate 
neighbourhood of the mountains, vines are rarely 
cultivated ; here they were stretching from bough 
to bough, often to the tops of tall trees, from which 
they hung in festoons of the most delicate and 
beautiful green. 

On this journey we had an opportunity of visit- 
ing the castle of Lourdes, and from its highest 
tower looked out upon a lovely view, our guide 
taking especial care to specify the different chateaux 
to be seen from this eminence, amongst which is 
one belonging to the brother of Marshal Soult. 
At the foot of the eminence on which this castle 
stands, we again saw the Gave de Pau, flowing in 



326 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



a broad dark stream, with no ripple to disturb its 
surface, except at one particular spot, where there 
is a beautiful silvery fall. It was really a relief, to 
see again a river that had some depth and stillness, 
for the Adour, and all the other streams we had 
lately seen, are in such a perpetual tumult and 
bustle, that I have sometimes longed to stretch over 
them an enchanted wand, to make them be still. 

The castle of Lourdes has much in its history 
to render it an object of interest to the traveller, 
besides the aspect of strength and antiquity which 
it now presents. The noon of its glory was in 
those chivalrous times when it belonged to the 
ancient warriors who ruled over their adjoining 
domain of Lavedon. Subsequently it was con- 
verted into a state prison, and was appropriated to 
that purpose by Buonaparte, when in the year 
1804, Lord Elgin was treacherously imprisoned 
within its walls. Passing through the French 
territory on his return from Constantinople, to 
which court he had been British ambassador, he 
was arrested as a prisoner of war, and resided in 
the neighbourhood of Pau on his parole. He was 
afterwards taken from his family, and kept in close 
confinement in this castle. In the mean time, 
letters were written in Paris, and an agent sent 
down to attempt to implicate hk lordship in a 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



327 



pretended conspiracy, for the purpose of sacrificing 
his life, or producing cause of complaint against 
the British government. But the sagacity, high- 
mindedness, and straight-forward conduct of Lord 
Elgin, baffled the subtlety of his enemies, and were 
the means, not only of preserving his own life, but 
of exemplifying a high degree of moral worth, as 
advantageous to the possessor as it was honourable 
to his country. 

On leaving Lourdes, we entered again upon the 
route by which we had travelled from Pau to 
Argelez early in the summer ; nor was it difficult 
to see what time had been doing since last we were 
there, — browning the hills, laying bare the rocks, 
scorching the grass, sending home the grain from 
the harvest field, mellowing the tints of the woods, 
and giving to the whole that peculiar richness of 
colouring, which is the certain prelude of decay. 

The day now became beautiful. The clouds 
separated, revealing first one mountain peak, and 
then another; while along with the partial, but 
brilliant sunshine, came the refreshment of a 
breeze almost cold, from the north. In the valley 
of Argelez, that region of warmth and beauty, 
with a cool fresh breeze, I had little left to wish 
for, and nothing now to detract from my admira- 
tion of the glorious scene which lay before us; for 



328 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the extent and variety presented by this valley, are 
far beyond any other in the Pyrenees, though there 
may be little isolated spots, more perfectly Arcadian 
in their loveliness. Vistas of mountains were now 
opening upon us in every direction, some near and 
distinct, with the sunshine full upon them ; others 
stretching far away, and their shadowy forms seen 
only through a purple haze ; while the nearer hills, 
glowing in all the golden hues of autumn, dis- 
played their pastoral, and even park-like scenery, 
the road sometimes winding through chestnut 
woods, and sometimes almost overhung with the 
vines that grew from tree to tree. 

This valley is, more than any other in the Pyre- 
nees, rich in the remains of former dignity. 
Scarcely a green hill, or craggy mound, but has its 
tower of ancient strength, now mouldering into 
ruins, and strangely contrasting with the simple 
comfort and humble toil of the now thriving pea- 
santry, with their orchards laden with fruit, and 
their vines already hanging out their rich clusters 
in the sun. 

Remembering but too well the inn at Argelez, 
I was glad to hear our driver propose to go on to 
Pierrefitte without stopping; and it was in this 
part of the road, that the sublimest view opened 
upon us — the mountain gorge leading to Cauterets 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



329 



on the right, and the no less wild ravine to Luz on 
the left. High up the hill immediately to our 
right, and commanding a view of which the eye 
could never be weary, was the venerable Abbey ot 
St. Savin, originally founded by Charlemagne, where 
the people tell you the princess Catherine of Na- 
varre, sister to Henry IV. once took shelter, when 
driven from Cauterets by a furious storm. A little 
tarther on the road to Pierrefitte, and on the same 
range of hills, is a large and handsome chateau, 
belonging to the family of Despourrins, the poet of 
the Pyrenees. It stands on a green eminence, 
almost embowered in beech wood, and if its interior 
answers to its exterior aspect, must be a delightful 
residence. 

To the left of the valley opposite to Pierrefitte, 
is a bold mass of rock, apparently jutting out from 
the side of the adjoining mountain, on which stand 
the ruins of what must have originally been a 
castle of no ordinary size and strength. It be- 
longed to the ancient counts of Lavedon, and was 
exchanged by them for some other property, with 
the counts of Bigorre. Beyond these, are many 
other ruins, all whose chivalrous, romantic, or re- 
ligious history, would require volumes to record. 

From Pierrefitte, the road was new to us all, and 
a wonderful one it is, ascending from the little 



330 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



town by a zigzag course along the almost perpen- 
dicular side of a red craggy mountain, which looks 
as if it might block out the whole world from 
entrance by that route, into the peaceful valley of 
Argelez. Yet along a smooth macadamized road, 
excellent as all the public roads in the Pyrenees 
are, roll carriages of every description, filled with 
the sick, the delicate, the convalescent, and the 
gay. An idea may possibly be formed of the 
number of visitors who flock to these mountains, 
when I add, that exclusive of diligences, we met 
on this day's journey, no less than twelve carriages, 
laden with travellers and their luggage, most 
probably on their way to distant homes. 

Wishing to enjoy what we could of the scenery, 
while our horses were resting, we walked up the 
old road which ascends directly from the village, 
below the new one, and must have presented a 
fearful obstacle to the travellers who formerly 
passed this way. From the highest part of this 
road we could look into three valleys, with the red 
mountain wall to our left, shutting out the sky, and 
jutting into the green pastures of Pierrefitte at its 
base. It was a singular, but most lovely scene. 
I had beheld nothing like it in the Pyrenees, or 
elsewhere. We stood on a craggy height, with a 
torrent far, far beneath us. Opposite were perpen- 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



331 



dicular masses of rock, extending to a vast height, 
sometimes appearing to block in the course of the 
stream, by meeting those on which we had placed 
ourselves. And beautiful it was to look down into 
this stream, and trace out its blue windings at such 
a depth, yet amongst all this darkness and solitude, 
to see those green pastures so peculiar to the 
Pyrenees, sloping down here and there to the edge 
of the water. Nor was it merely as a picture, that 
the landscape pleased the eye. It was one to fill 
the mind with many thoughts ; for in the distance 
was the old chateau, recalling the heroes of Frois- 
«art, — then the green valley, with its peaceful herds, 
and fields of maize, — above it, the red precipice of 
rock, with that almost miraculous road, constructed 
by the ingenuity and labour of man, — behind us an 
inaccessible height, — and beneath, on the banks of 
the torrent, amongst the green pastures, we caught 
occasional glimpses of rich groves of walnut trees. 

It is in such situations that the mind seems to 
float, as it were, over the surface of nature, and 
rather dreams, than thinks. Perhaps we rather 
feel, than do either ; and I confess I was far gone 
in one of these reveries, when suddenly aroused by 
my companion, a very charming young lady, ex- 
claiming — " What a delightful place for a pic-nic !" 

Now I pretend to no philosophical contempt of 



332 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



pic-nics, provided they are held in pleasant places ; 
but above all, provided they bring together pleasant 
people. Yet for a pic-nic in the abstract, consi- 
sidered merely as such, I certainly have no reve- 
rence ; and yet I suspect there is a large portion 
of human beings, who think that woods, and 
streams, and mountains, but especially the Pyre- 
nees, were created for nothing else. 

Of this class what troops do we see galloping 
pell-mell through some of the loveliest of these 
valleys, and on such horses ! — miserable, lean, 
bony, and mis-shapen, yet so accustomed to the 
habits of their gay riders, that no sooner do they 
hear the slash and shout, than off they go, 
even where the hills are steepest, either up or 
down, their hoofs clattering over the rocks, with a 
noise which stuns into insignificance the loudest 
torrent. Of the exercise of riding I own I am, 
from long habit, and many early associations, 
almost foolishly fond ; but for what I heard a lady 
one day describe, as the absolute sitting on a horse^ 
I have as little respect as I have for pic-nics in the 
abstract. I will not describe the costumes of these 
equestrian parties. All have their tastes ; and it 
is neither amiable nor wise to find fault with the 
enjoyment of others, because it is not ours ; but 
the hats, of every possible variety of brim, waving in 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



333 



the wind, — the red sashes worn both by ladies and 
gentlemen, I never could tell why, — the white pan- 
taloons fastened under the fairy feet of the former, 
and the spurs which sometimes adorn their heels, — 
with saddles of every shape but what is likely to fit 
the back of a horse, — bridles with rusty bits, — and 
steeds that would do honour to the knight-errantry 
of Don Quixote, — so far as these may be con- 
sidered to add to the beauty of the landscape, the 
scenery of the Pyrenees is rich indeed. 

Our road all the way to Cauterets was excellent, 
and must have been constructed at no trifling 
expense. Towards the conclusion of our journey, 
the scene grew wilder and less lovely; and the 
afternoon closed with a kind of drizzle, which pro- 
mised badly for our next day's excursion to the 
Pont d'Espagne, and the Lac de Gaube, the two 
great wonders that are to be seen by a ramble of 
three or four hours from Cauterets. 

We found this place much larger than I had 
expected. It consists of two or three good streets, 
chiefly composed of hotels and lodging-houses, and 
was at that time full of people, though the season 
was said to be over. This might be one reason 
why we were ourselves so much in request as new 
comers; for the wheels of our carriage were lite- 
rally clogged with people recommending themselves 



334 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



as innkeepers, bakers, and all sorts of things, vying 
with each other in the excellence and the cheap- 
ness of their provisions, all which we knew would 
be at the utmost rate that could be obtained. 
Even when we entered our lodging, the crowd 
pursued us ; and not until the evening closed, were 
we free from those who offered to guide us on the 
morrow, or to let us horses for the excursion which 
there was no doubt we had come to make. All 
this was the more ridiculous, as we had brought 
our own provisions, meant to stay only one night, 
and had determined, with the exception of two of 
our party, to walk to the Lac de Gaube. 

Cauterets is in one respect the strangest-looking 
place in the Pyrenees, being almost filled with 
Spaniards, to whose exclusive use one set of its 
many baths is appropriated. We went to see these 
baths in a drizzling rain ; and the heat and steam 
of the water, with the apparent poverty, and filth 
of the Spaniards, rendered the place by no means 
agreeable for a protracted stay. The water which 
supplies these baths, is conducted from a neigh- 
bouring hill in a sort of covered channel ; and it is 
said to be at its source almost boiling, perhaps the 
hottest of any of these mineral waters; but there 
is in the town of Bagneres, one almost too warm 
for the hand to remain in, which makes a favourite 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



335 



resort for the women, who go there to clean their 
kitchen utensils. 

I never saw any people who struck me so much, 
and yet were so difficult to describe, as these 
Spaniards. They seem to be all poor, I should 
suppose all filthy, and yet so dignified, so imposing, 
and so peculiar in their appearance, that one 
stands still and gazes at them, as when some dis- 
tinguished person passes. In detail, few of them 
are handsome. They have dirty complexions, 
shrivelled skins, mean features, sharp sunken eyes, 
and universally brown curling hair, which is evi- 
dently guiltless of a comb ; yet group them toge- 
ther as a whole, and they make splendid pictures, 
it is impossible to say how, or why. With their 
tall gaunt figures, enveloped in the woollen mantle 
or plaid which they always wear, often concealing 
one arm, they seem fitted for nothing but mules 
and mountains. Of their women I cannot say 
much, having seen so few ; but these corresponded 
well with the men, — tall, meagre, and strange, yet 
so dignified, that one involuntarily looked again, 
to see if they were really the wretched, poverty- 
stricken creatures they appeared, or some fallen 
remnant of nobility in disguise. 

Having allowed ourselves but three days for our 
journey to Cauterets, we were all extremely anxious 



336 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



about the weather; and when we rose on the 
morning after our arrival, and saw the clouds upon 
the mountain sides, down as low as the tops of the 
houses, we were almost in despair. Soon, however, 
one pine-covered peak after another appeared, and 
the day turned out most propitious for our excur- 
sion, with a north wind, passing clouds compact 
and white, and a sky intensely blue. 

The whole of the route to the Pont d'Espagne 
is indescribably fine and beautiful. It differed 
from all we had seen, in being more wild, and 
more scattered with pines; while the mountain 
peaks on each side of the ravine along which we 
passed, rising through the thin fleecy clouds, which 
still hung about them, looked of such amazing 
height and sublimity, that we found it difficult to 
pursue our route, without stopping too often to 
wonder and admire. The torrent, too, was diver- 
sified by innumerable falls of great beauty and 
grandeur ; one of which, in particular, equals the 
finest of the waterfalls at Eaux Bonnes, and would 
far surpass it, but for the sheet of water being 
broken by a mass of rock, over which it again 
falls into a deep gulf. 

On arriving at the Pont d'Espagne, we found it 
a simple bridge of pine, over a torrent whose 
thundering roar seems to shake the foundations of 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



337 



the surrounding rocks. We stood a long time on 
this bridge, watching the foam of the boiling waters 
below ; and it was here that I saw for the first time 
in my life, a rainbow produced by the misty spray. 
This bridge is one of the passes into Spain. The 
traveller is conducted over it to another point of 
view, from whence this world of waters is seen to 
still greater advantage. Such is the foam, the 
tumult, and the rush of glancing water, that it is 
scarcely possible to say how many streams are 
meeting in this particular spot. I remember 
chiefly the masses of black rock over which the 
mighty sheets of w r ater rushed, and the abyss into 
which they fell with a bellowing noise like thunder. 

After contemplating this scene, we passed again 
over the bridge of pines, in order to pursue our 
way to the Lac de Gaube. The path now became 
more difficult; yet half an hour's steep ascent 
brought us out into one of those wide bleak hol- 
lows amongst the mountains, which, for want of a 
better name, I must call a wilderness plain. As 
we entered into this hollow, there rose before our 
view the majestic Vignemale, the highest mountain 
in France. It is 10,326 feet in height, and its 
mighty pinnacles were clothed in glittering snow 
which never melts. On either side of the valley 
along which we passed, were mountains of no very 
Q 



&38 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



interesting character, sloping down to the plain; 
and but for the noble Vignemale closing the 
valley? the scene would have possessed no parti- 
cular charm. 

The guide had told us it was but an hour's walk 
from the Pont d'Espagne to the Lac de Gaube ; 
yet we continued our walk almost to the end of 
the valley, and no lake appeared. At last, ori 
ascending a ridge of rocks, we beheld this wonder 
of the Pyrenees, which, when we had not seen it, 
every one told us was more beautiful than anything 
else to be found amongst the mountains. It was a 
mere pond — a little green pond, at least so it ap- 
peared to me, who had in my recollection the 
bioad sheet of Derwent water, and more recently 
the deep crystal of the Lac Bleu. For its colour, 
however, ample apology was made on the score of 
the recent rains; and with regard to its size, I 
have no doubt I was greatly deceived by the height 
of the surrounding mountains. 

It is a solitary spot, without a tree, except the 
dark green pines ; and without a dwelling, except 
the fisherman's lonely hut. What renders it still 
more melancholy, is the circumstance which took 
place here about six years ago, and which perhaps 
affected us the more, from Mr. Ellis being ac- 
quainted with some of the nearest relatives of the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



339 



deceased. It is said to have been a bright and 
beautiful morning, when an English bride and 
bridegroom, on their wedding tour, went out upon 
this lake, in the fisherman's rudely-constructed 
boat, the very same which we saw lying by the 
shore, than which a more unsafe or unmanageable 
vessel could scarcely be imagined. Little seems 
to be known of the awful event which followed, 
except that those who stood on the shore relate, 
that when the boat was about the middle of the 
lake, the figure of the man was seen stooping 
overboard — that the female, alarmed for his safety, 
rushed to the same side, — and thus, the vessel 
being overbalanced, both were plunged into a 
watery grave. 

The bodies were both found, though one of 
them not until a month after. They were con- 
veyed to England, and buried at Witham, in 
Essex. There is a rock jutting out a little way 
into the lake, on which a white marble monument, 
commemorating this event, has been placed, with 
an inscription giving a short account of their fate. 
These words upon the tablet were to me parti- 
cularly striking, — "married one month!" What a 
conclusion to that portion of life, which mankind 
have agreed, whether justly or not, to call the 
happiest in human experience ! 

Q2 



340 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



I have sometimes heard an expression of wonder, 
that no attempt was made to save the lives thus 
awfully brought to their close. This apparent 
neglect, however, is easily accounted for, by the 
solitary nature of the place, — by there being but 
one boat upon the lake, — and by the fisherman to 
whom the boat and the cottage belong, being on 
that day absent. There was consequently no one 
but a guide and one other man on the shore, to 
witness the calamity. That they could either of 
them swim, is scarcely probable, from the habits of 
the people of the Pyrenees ; and even if they could, 
there is an universally prevailing belief, not only 
that this lake, but that all amongst the mountains, 
are bottomless ; in addition to which, the people 
always tell you, the water of the lake is so cold, 
that whoever plunges in must suffer instant death. 

After spending an hour by the side of this lake, 
we set out to return to Cauterets, somewhat re- 
freshed by a dish of excellent peaches, grapes, and 
plums, brought out to us by the good woman from 
the fisherman's hut. It was a day on which no 
one in health could well have been weary. The 
freshness of the clear cool air, — the sparkling of 
the torrents, — the deep shadow of the pines, with 
the sunshine glittering through, — sometimes a little 
climbing, and occasionally a plain of green turf 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



341 



that sounded hollow under the tread, — now and 
then the distant tinkling of sheep-bells on the sides 
of the mountains, — but above all, those lofty and 
shining peaks that seemed to reach more than half- 
way to the skies — all contributed to lead us on 
without counting our steps, through one of the 
most delightful rambles it has ever been my lot 
to enjoy. 

I had often wished to see pine forests in per- 
fection, and my wish was this day gratified; for 
here were pines of every description, — some in 
their giant structure, apparently unscathed by a 
single storm, their green fan-like branches tipped 
with edges of golden yellow, — others stunted, and 
wrung almost from their hold in the earth, by the 
violence of the sweeping blast, — others scathed by 
lightning, — and others crashed, and broken, and 
swept from their foundation by masses of falling 
snow, or by the fury of the wintry floods. 

In a solitary part of our route we met twelve 
men, with guns and staves, going out, as I supposed, 
to hunt the wild goat ; but I was a little startled to 
learn from the guide, that they were going in 
search of a bear, which had been seen the day 
before in an adjoining wood. 

The route to the Lac de Gaube leads past the 
principal bathing establishment, about the distance 



342 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



of half an hour's walk from Cauterets. In the 
morning the path to these baths had been thronged 
by invalids of every description, most of them 
carried in little covered chairs, supported on poles. 
As we returned, the path was deserted, and the 
baths closed. Had it been otherwise, I believe we 
were a little too weary to have looked into the 
bathing -rooms, as unquestionably all strangers 
ought. We were quite satisfied with admiring 
their beautiful situation, and the many marble 
steps which lead up to the entrance of the building. 
More interesting to me were some other fountains 
of health, higher up the valley, either too humble 
or too distant to be visited by any but the poorest 
class, and those were chiefly Spaniards. At one 
of these sources, a kind of cave had been cut out 
of the rock through which the water flows ; and in 
the deep shadow of this cave, a most picturesque 
group was placed ; some of them drinking of the 
waters, and others resting on the rocks from the 
fatigues of the ascent. 

By way of making the most of our beautiful 
day, we took a hasty repast at Cauterets, and again 
crowded into our carriage ; our driver, like all 
French drivers, clattering through the streets, with 
a cracking of his whip enough to shatter the nerves 
of all the invalids in the place. We went rapidly 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



343 



over the excellent road, for it was down-hill all the 
way to Pierrefitte ; and the man, scorning the 
hinderance of a drag, even when descending the 
zigzag road along the giant wall which guards the 
entrance of the gorge, one of his horses fell, as 
might have been expected ; and being dragged by 
the force of the carriage for some distance on the 
ground, was severely bruised, and cut with the 
harness. 

From Pierrefitte we went again to Luz, to spend 
the night at good old Madame Cazeaux', and were 
not sorry to find her inn so full, that we were 
lodged in a clean new house, looking out upon the 
stream and the valley, which extend to Bareges. 
I was that night almost too tired to sleep, but I 
rose early the next morning, and walked with my 
young companions once more on the road to Ga- 
varnie, past St. Sauveur, and then back again by 
the hill of the Hermitage, to look most probably 
for the last time upon my favourite valley. The 
scene was much changed since I had last beheld 
it. Hill sides that were green and verdant then, 
were now bare and brown; and worse than all, 
many of the silvery streams that used to dash and 
sparkle along the valley, were totally dried up — 
nothing but their grey stony beds remaining to 
mark their course. Still there was beauty and 



344 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



fertility enough, and almost too much, for the eye 
and heart to take in at once ; and as a scene, the 
picture was perhaps mellower and richer than 
before. 

On descending from the hill of the Hermitage, 
we went to see the old church of the Knights 
Templars. Here a curious and characteristic little 
scene awaited us. A young lady of our party 
having chosen to ride that morning, a little boy 
had accompanied us to take charge of her horse. 
On entering the church, he was sent home with 
the horse, looking rather blank without his expected 
payment. He soon followed us, however, and 
though mass was being said, we saw him hurrying 
through the church, in the most irreverent man- 
ner, evidently in search of something. He did not 
see us at first; but the moment he discovered 
we were there, and safe from escape, his whole 
appearance changed. He took his place beside 
the altar, bowed most profoundly, and even beat 
his little breast with folded hands, as if in the 
attitude of the most profound devotion; but no 
sooner had we turned to go away, than he started 
up, hastened round, and meeting us at the door, 
demanded his recompense for attentions to the 
horse and its rider. 

Before leaving Luz, we went to see the curious 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



345 



manufacture of fine woollen articles, for which this 
place is so justly celebrated. Nothing can exceed 
the elegance of some of the dresses exhibited in 
this establishment, which comprises shawls, scarfs, 
and almost every article that can be worn, but 
particularly such as are most light and graceful. 

About ten o'clock we set off to return to Ba- 
gneres, and passing again through the ravine which 
leads from Luz to Pierrefitte, we stopped for the 
last time to look at the little antiquated bridge, 
the Pont d'enfer, which consists of a single arch, 
spanning a deep chasm, over which was once the 
only way by Gavarnie into Spain. It must have 
been thought a work of wonder, w T hen the present 
road was constructed, and yet modern invention is 
already busy with another. 

On emerging from this gorge once more into 
the valley of Argelez, I was struck with the con- 
viction, that I had not felt in any part of this little 
tour the pleasure with which I first visited these 
scenes. I know not how or why, but I experienced 
no longer that thrill of joy, that impulse of delight, 
which had so often animated me before; and I 
felt convinced, that had we gone, according to our 
first intention, into Switzerland, much of the 
beauty and sublimity of that country would have 
been lost upon us. Was it that the eye was satis- 
q3 



346 



SUMMER AND WINTJtK 



fied with seeing, or had I lived so long amongst 
mountains, rocks, and streams, that they had lost 
their poetic character, and settled down into actual 
materiality ? 

I was not ungrateful for all I had been permitted 
to admire, and to enjoy; yet I was more than ever 
impressed with the truth, that in order to enter with 
the most intense relish into such scenes as those 
around me, one should emerge immediately from 
the smoke of crowded cities* after the mind has 
been long burdened with social, domestic, or pecu- 
niary anxieties. It is then that the contemplation 
of nature in its most sublime and lovely character, 
becomes an indescribable refreshment; and in 
proportion as the body is invigorated, the mind is 
restored to its healthy tone. 

Enjoyment, like many other good things,— even 
the enjoyment of nature, requires economy to make 
it last. Those who travel for mere pleasure, gene- 
rally hurry on from one country to another, in 
search of that excitement which all have ceased to 
afford; and, flying from the Pyrenees to Spain, 
or Switzerland, and from thence to Italy or Greece, 
they conclude by saying, that " rocks are but 
rocks/' and that when you have seen one moun- 
tain, you have seen another. No one can feel 
more forcibly than myself, that all the beauties 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



347 



of nature, from the sublimest heights, to the most 
peaceful and sheltered valleys, — from the foaming 
cataract, to the rippling stream, — from the loftiest 
tree, to the simplest flower, — are fit subjects for the 
poet to invoke, and beyond that, for the Christian 
to admire ; but I feel also that there is more real 
elevation of mind in the conception of one moral 
truth which bears upon the temporal and eternal 
happiness of mankind, than in the highest flights of 
poetic feeling, — more true satisfaction in the simple 
act of giving a cup of cold water, in the name of 
the Redeemer, to one of the least of his disciples, 
than in spending days, months, or years, in the 
mere contemplation of what is beautiful or sublime. 



348 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



CHAPTER XIL 

STATE OF AGRICULTURE, AND DIVISION OF PROPERTY 

IN THE PYRENEES EARLY APPROACH OF AUTUMN 

— LEAVING ST. PAUL VIEW OF THE MOUNTAINS 

FROM TARBES REMARKS UPON THE CLIMATE OF 

THE SOUTH OF FRANCE — NOTICES OF OLERON, AND 
THE VALLEY d'aSPE — CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 
ON TRAVELLING ABROAD. 

With all my early prejudices in favour of an 
agricultural life, I had long been in the habit of 
thinking, that with a genial climate and a fertile 
soil to facilitate his labours, where the farmer tilled 
his own ground, and where that ground was divided 
into fair allotments, where there were none so 
powerful as to oppress, and none so poor as to 
suffer, — man must exist in his most natural and 
happy state. My favourite system was a plausible 
one. It never occurred to me, until my residence 
amongst the Pyrenees, to see how the " thing 
worked," as the politicians say. Here, however, I 
beheld it carried out to a degree of perfection, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



349 



which I had not previously believed to exist in the 
present state of society. Here the climate, except 
for occasional storms, is all that the cultivator of 
the soil can desire, and the soil itself redundant 
iu vegetation. Here the peasant almost inva- 
riably cultivates his own land, and has all his 
means of subsistence and comfort within himself. 
Nor is there that inequality of property to complain 
of, which is so frequently the cause of unfair as- 
sumption on the one side, and of envy on the 
other. Here every one has his portion ; but that 
portion is consequently so small, that many of the 
farms do not exceed three or four acres, and some 
are only one. On these little plots of ground, you 
frequently see all the varieties of maize, grass, 
wheat, oats, and flax, or the crops by which some 
of these are immediately succeeded, such as millet 
and buckwheat ; for no such thing as fallow-ground 
is to be found in the Pyrenees. 

Whatever may be the attainments of the French 
in other respects, they seem never to have learned 
the true value of time, at least as it is understood 
in England. The various little portions of ground 
appropriated as above described, are seldom sepa- 
rated by a fence ; so that when cattle are feeding 
on the grass, it is necessary they should be tended 
all the day ; and it is no uncommon thing to see 



350 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



an able man employed in this manner. Indeed*, 
wherever either sheep or cattle feed, in the lanes, 
on the mountains, or amongst the fields, they are 
invariably watched. The women, however, make 
this occupation answer two purposes, for they never 
go out with their cattle, without spinning or knit- 
ting all the time. They even knit when they ride ; 
and I have seen them walking home from market 
on a rainy evening, with heavy baskets on their 
arms, knitting all the way* 

The peasants of the Pyrenees have all which 
their necessities demand within themselves. They 
grow their own flax, and one of their most busy 
occupations is to dress it. They do not steep it in 
water before beating it, as in England, but spread 
it on some sloping field or hill side, where it 
undergoes no other process than what is effected 
by exposure to the weather. Not only is the flax 
prepared and woven for their own use, but the 
wool of the mountain sheep, undyed, is made into 
jackets, trousers, and petticoats, as well as into 
various other articles of clothing. Thus supplied 
with the most common and necessary kinds of 
dress, their wants are equally simple as regards 
their furniture and food. A few brass or copper 
vessels, for their milk, are always used by those 
who make cheeses, as many of the peasants do, not 



2N THE PYRENEES* 



351 



only of the milk of cows, but of that of sheep and 
goats. For a churn they have a very simple sub* 
stitute, being no other than a dried sheep's skin. 
For keeping wine the skins of kids are frequently 
used, with the hair inside : and the same article is 
also converted into a large pocket or knapsack, 
which the little girls carry at their backs. The 
skin, when used in this manner, is kept entire, 
either the head or the tail of the animal being 
folded over the opening of the knapsack. 

All implements of husbandry used amongst the 
Bearnais, are equally simple in their character. 
The pole of their little carts is often nothing more 
than the stem of a tree cut off where it has divided 
into two branches, so that the ends of the two forks 
connect with the axletree ; and the forks with 
which their hay is made, are branches or stems of 
the same description, on a smaller scale. Their 
ploughing, such as it is, is effected by a sort of 
double process, requiring four oxen, — two to go 
before with the coulter, and two others with an- 
other implement to turn over the soil. Both these 
are generally conducted by women. For millet 
and buckwheat, which succeed immediately to the 
earliest crops, the soil is merely turned over with a 
shovel, after which the earth and stubble are 
burned in heaps* and strewn upon the field. The 



352 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



process of preparing the ground for wheat and oats 
is simple in the extreme. Both the seed and the 
manure are strewn upon the land, ploughed in 
together, then harrowed, and all is finished. The 
labour of carrying and spreading manure is per- 
formed almost exclusively by women, who some- 
times carry it on a sort of hurdle into the fields, 
but more frequently in sacks on their heads. In 
the valley d'Aspe it is taken to the fields in large 
woollen sacks placed upon the backs of donkeys. 

I find it stated in my journal, that in the begin- 
ning of August, the maize in the valley of Campan 
was waving in all its glory, having attained the 
height of a man's shoulder, and being still green. 
At the same time, the reapers had begun to cut 
the wheat and oats ; and I expected to have seen 
the yellow corn-fields adorned, as they are in 
England, with those golden sheaves which have so 
many pleasant associations. To my disappoint- 
ment, however, I found that the harvest in the 
Pyrenees was a very different affair from what it is 
with us ; for no sooner was the wheat cut down, 
than it was tied up in bundles, carried away upon 
the heads of the owners, and stowed into those in- 
numerable little barns which adorn the landscape ; 
all this despatch being rendered necessary by the 
dishonesty of the people, which is such, that no one 



IN THE PYRENEES. 353 

leaves his corn in the field, after it is cut, for a 
single night. I am sorry to make this confession 
in relation to the people whose simple lives I had 
previously thought so enviable; but I am also 
bound in common justice to state, that even their 
potatoes, when ready to be taken up, were always 
watched in the valley of Campan ; and that every 
night, at a certain hour, we saw a lantern placed 
in the potato-field, and heard the firing of a gun, 
which announced that the watch had commenced 
for the night.. 

The manner of threshing the corn is different in 
almost all the valleys of the Pyrenees. In that of 
Ossau it is trampled out by horses. In the neigh- 
bourhood of Bagneres, threshing-floors are made 
for the purpose in the open air, around w T hich 
eight or ten men thresh out the corn with small 
light flails ; and in some places it is beaten out on 
trussels. I do not recollect ever to have seen 
wheat or oats conveyed from the fields in carts, 
and hay but seldom. Indeed, the use of either 
carts or waggons is a thing impracticable in many 
parts of the Pyrenees, owing to the mountainous 
situation of the farms ; while in others, so seldom 
is there a regular entrance or gateway into the 
fields, that a cart, when it does pass, must go 
through a gap in the fence, or through a part of 



354 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the stone wall, which is often broken down for this 
purpose. Thus we see the peasants, rather than 
be at the trouble of making a gateway, lifting the 
manure over their little fences, and carrying out 
the produce of their fields in the same manner. 
Their gates, when they have any, are generally 
made with a large heavy end, to counterpoise their 
weight. The stem of a tree, with its thick knotty 
root, projecting out at twice the length of the gate, 
generally forms the upper part, and by its weight, 
makes the gate open on a kind of pivot, or hinge. 

Maize and hay appear to be the crops which 
constitute the wealth of the Bearnais farmer. Of 
the former, I have already mentioned its various 
uses, except that, amongst these, I have omitted 
the excellent beds or mattresses which are made of 
its leaves when dried. The exact number of suc- 
cessive crops of hay produced on a Pyrenean farm, 
I am unable to state; because this must always 
depend upon the situation affording more or less 
facility for that system of irrigation by which they 
are so rapidly produced. Every stream of water 
is here a mine of wealth ; and land with facility for 
being well watered, sells at three times the value 
of that which is without. The smallest stream 
from the top of a distant mountain is often con- 
ducted with amazing care around the side of a hill, 



IN THE PYRENEES* 



355 



from whence small lateral, or rather curved lines 
are cut, so as to let the water flow at any time* 
over the surface of a whole meadow ; and nothing 
can exceed the vivid colouring of the green ter- 
races thus produced. Tempted by their beauty, 
I was only taught by experience to suspect their 
real nature ; for often when I thought to refresh 
my weary feet with the cool soft turf, I found I 
was walking in a plashy pool, more deceitful than 
a bog. The astonishing rapidity with which these 
meadows were again covered with waving grass, 
appeared to me like nothing short of enchantment. 
I used to amuse myself by watching the haymakers 
at work upon these lovely fields ; then I saw them 
run away barefoot, with the hay upon their heads ; 
then the little shining streams ran down the slope ; 
and in a space of time inconceivably short, the 
grass was again in a state for the w r hole process to 
be repeated. 

Of the uncertain tenure by which the advantages 
of one of these mountain streams are held, we had a 
good opportunity of judging during our residence in 
- the valley of Campan. For some weeks, the family 
residing at St. Paul being absent, Mr. Ellis and 
myself were left with the charge of their domestic 
affairs. The gentleman of the house, as is usual with 
all gentlemen who possess land in this neighbour- 



356 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



hood, as well as with the owners of vineyards, allows 
to a man who cultivates his land, and who lives on the 
farm, one-half of the produce ; the hind providing 
all the labour, and the landlord supplying all the 
seed. Knowing the value of the little stream of 
water which supplied the place, the distance of its 
highest source, and the many mountain farms it 
had to pass in its way from these heights, we were 
in constant apprehension lest our water should fail ; 
and one morning, finding that our fountain in the 
garden shade was silent, we set out on a laborious 
ascent to the source of the stream, and found at 
last that a farmer, living at the extremity of the 
highest range of cultivation, and at least three 
miles from St. Paul, had taken the liberty of 
turning these valuable waters upon his own land. 
Such, indeed, is the general want of good faith in 
these matters amongst the people of the Pyrenees, 
that a man, in the capacity of a guard, is generally 
paid by the farmers, to keep watch over the appro- 
priation of the water, and thus protect the rights of 
those in whose service he engages. Whether it 
was the mere scandal of the place, I am unable to 
say, but in our case the guard was reported to be 
no more honest than his neighbours ; and as an 
additional reason why he was unworthy of trust, 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



357 



we were told, with great emphasis, that he was 
" Men pauvre" 

It was a source of some anxiety in such a neigh- 
bourhood as that of Campan, that our friends had 
left under our care an orchard of the most beauti- 
ful autumn fruit. I have never seen either apples 
or pears so tempting in appearance, as in the south 
of France ; but though so rich and lovely in their 
colouring, those which grow in the immediate vici- 
nity of the mountains, are certainly deficient in 
flavour, and keep but a very short time. Great 
pains is bestowed upon the pruning and training 
of the apple trees, which are seldom allowed to 
grow higher than a man can reach ; so that their 
clustering fruit is by this means more immediately 
displayed to view. These apple trees are some- 
times trained in the form of a flat screen, some- 
times like a cup or vase, and sometimes like a 
hollow sphere or globe ; but whatever their fanci- 
ful form may be, they are closely cut every year, so 
that the wood is always short, thick, and vigorous. 

Cherry trees are so common amongst the Pyre- 
nees, that in many places they fill the hedge rows ; 
and it is no unfrequent sight, to see children in the 
trees, shaking off the branches, and pigs eating the 
cherries as they fall. In our different rambles, we 



858 SUMMER AND WINTER 

have found both wild raspberries and wild currant?, 
with vast quantities of a kind of bilberry, which, 
when boiled with sugar, makes a very tolerable 
sweetmeat. It does not appear consistent with the 
French taste, however, to eat any thing acid ; and 
this may be one reason why gooseberries are sel- 
dom cultivated, because in their green state they 
would be of no sort of use here. Chestnuts and 
grapes are the only luxuries the Bearnais people 
allow themselves, and they appear to like dry 
bread quite as well as either. 

I have said that my prejudices when I first 
visited the Pyrenees, were all in favour of the kind 
of pastoral and agricultural life which prevails 
amongst these mountains. A few months' observa- 
tion upon the actual state of society, as it exists 
under these circumstances, was sufficient to con- 
vince me, that although natural, and simple, and 
apparently conducive to human happiness, it is in 
reality a state but little calculated to promote the 
moral or intellectual improvement of mankind. 
That very equality of rank, and comparatively equal 
distribution of property, for which the theorist in 
other countries sometimes sighs in vain, is here 
productive of its necessary result, in the limited 
sphere of action to which every individual is con- 
fined ; while that absence of ambition, which we 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



359 



are apt to think contributes to social and domestic 
peace, renders the peasant of the Pyrenees as poor, 
as ignorant, and as destitute at the present day, 
as he was a hundred years ago. 

Notwithstanding the genial atmosphere they 
breathe, the magnificent and lovely scenery by 
which they are surrounded, and the redundancy of 
vegetation which characterises the soil they culti- 
vate, the inhabitants of the Pyrenees are for the 
most part miserably poor, and almost universally 
destitute of every thing beyond the bare necessaries 
of life ; nor can even these be obtained except at 
the cost of unremitting labour, pursued upon the 
same unimproved system which their fathers and 
forefathers adopted hundreds of years before them. 
Thus the lives they lead are little calculated to 
raise them above the animals which share their 
labour ; and the fact of there being no great landed 
proprietors, or men of wealth or influence amongst 
them, renders any hope of their condition being 
ameliorated, too visionary to be indulged. It is 
indeed pitiable to see the immense labour by which 
the scanty crops of their short summer are in some 
situations procured, when a little knowledge of 
superior methods of cultivation would render the 
district they inhabit as rich, as it is beautiful. A 
French writer, in regretting the little advantage 



860 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



taken of the natural resources of their country, has 
spoken of the many streams which "foam with 
impatience, and demand to be worked;" and 
certainly the whole aspect of nature in these de- 
lightful regions, is one of the most inviting that 
can be imagined, as a field of operation for the 
industry and the art of man. 

My remarks upon the state of agriculture are, of 
course, confined only to the neighbourhood of the 
Pyrenees. I know that there are vast tracts of 
land in France presenting a very different aspect, 
as to cultivation and produce; although even in 
some of these, economy of labour seems to be a 
thing but little taken into account ; as an instance 
of which, it is no uncommon thing to see a plough 
drawn by eight large bullocks, two abreast. In 
the Pyrenees the owner of one such team would 
be a man of wealth indeed. All the animals they 
do possess, even their poultry, are extremely small ; 
and, except in the western Pyrenees, the people 
themselves have the appearance of being ill-fed, 
and when old, extremely feeble and emaciated. I 
could scarcely have believed it, had I not myself 
beheld the difference in the aspect and character 
of people separated frequently by only a narrow 
ridge of mountains. A friend of ours, who made 
a short excursion into Spain, told us that such 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



861 



distinctions were still more observable in passing 
the frontier. In the course of a ride of two or 
three hours, he found himself transported into the 
midst of a totally different race of people, possess- 
ing no one point of resemblance, either in person, 
dress, or habits. On the Spanish side of the fron- 
tier, no oxen were to be seen, mules only being used 
for all the common purposes of labour. Instead 
of the handsome and becoming dress of the Bearn- 
ais peasantry, the whole appearance of the people 
was wild, forlorn, and filthy; and instead of the 
thatched cottages and neat barns, which ornament 
the country on the French side, the Spanish habi- 
tations were low and slovenly, and wretched beyond 
description. 

I have already said, that the people in the 
neighbourhood of Bagneres have not escaped the 
natural consequences of their country having been 
for so long a time the resort of idle and curious 
strangers. They have every appearance of being 
a people of much lower grade than those of the 
valley d'Ossau, to whom they are personally as 
inferior, i their habits and manners are less digni- 
fied 'aid independent. Even in the lovely and 
Arcadian valley of Lesponne, there is scarcely a 
single woman not frightfully disfigured with the 
goitre, and there are adjacent villages said to be 

R 



362 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



almost peopled by idiots. In my frequent walks I 
fras perpetually meeting individuals of this de- 
scription, of all the different grades of mental im* 
becility; while in the department of the Lower 
Pyrenees, I do not recollect to have seen one. 

It is a somewhat melancholy fact, and one which 
sufficiently proves the ineffectual method of cultiva-* 
tion pursued in the Pyrenees, that notwithstanding 
the salubrious climate, and the indefatigable labour 
of the occupants of the soil, the harvest of corn 
annually reaped is not more than would suffice for 
the maintenance of the people during six months 
of the year. 

I cannot more appropriately conclude the few 
passing remarks I have ventured to make on this 
subject, than by some observations of the same 
literary friend to whom I have already been in- 
debted, on the general state of France as an agri- 
cultural country. 

" The French government, three years ago, 
published tables of produce from 1815 to 1837. 
By these it appears, that only half of the territory 
of France is cultivated, so that no advance of 
moment has been made, either in her system of 
culture, or quantity of produce. 

" France is far behind the rest of Europe in the 
practical application of the scientific knowledge of 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



the day. No rail-roads traverse her territory. 
Merely a short line for pleasurable facility in the 
vicinity of Paris, at present exists. Her public 
vehicles are as clumsy as ever. Her great ' watei 
power/ as the Americans call it, is entirely ne- 
glected. Her mineral treasures lie untouched, 
Her fine forests, although wood has risen one-third 
in value since 1830, only produce four per cent in 
return, to the proprietors, for want of easy commu- 
nication. It is estimated that her produce of edible 
corn is ninety-eight millions of hectolitres, (rathei 
more than two bushels English,) that her people 
consume only eighty-one millions of hectolitres; 
and yet such is the difficulty of internal transit, 
that in the year 1839 the government forbade the 
export of corn. The harvest that year had been 
good, yet particular localities were suffering from 
want, while others were glutted." 

The rapid and extreme changes in the weather 
during the summer we spent amongst the Pyre- 
nees, were such, that though at times astonished 
and almost oppressed with the brilliance of the 
sunshine, we were upon the whole as often chilled 
with the damp and cold. Still we persuaded our- 
selves that the autumn would be fine and settled, 
until, while labouring under this delusion, we were 
surprised about the middle of September, by one 
r 2 



364 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



of those storms of snow, which are always regarded 
in the Pyrenees as harbingers of winter, and which 
consequently drive away the numerous visitors from 
the places of public resort. 

On the sixteenth of September, after many days 
of cold and wet, we looked out in the morning, and 
saw the mountains all around us covered with snow. 
In our evening walk that day, facing a sharp north 
wand, we met with the courier from Bareges, who 
told us he had that morning been detained five 
hours by the weather, and had found the snow in 
crossing the Tourmalet, three feet deep. The season 
of his labours in passing from Bagneres to Bareges, 
had commenced on the first of June, and would 
close on the last day of September, so that the 
summer in these regions, may be said to last only 
four months. 

Bareges is the highest situation in the Pyrenees 
to which travellers and invalids resort. In the 
winter it is entirely deserted by all its inhabitants, 
who go to Luz, and many of the houses, if not all, 
are covered with snow. We thought, early in the 
month of June, when we spent a night there, that 
the place had a strange vault-like feeling ; but had 
little idea that our lodging had so recently emerged 
from its wintry covering. The courier told us this 
day, that many of the inhabitants were already 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



365 



taking their furniture and other property to Luz. 
It is chiefly in the spring, or when the snows first 
begin to melt, that those terrible ravages take place 
in the neighbourhood of Bareges, which every year 
destroy many of the houses in the town, and con- 
siderable portions of the road ; and when to these 
accounts are added the tales the people tell of its 
being the resort of hungry bears and wolves, an 
idea may be formed of the savage wildness and 
dreary desolation of the place. Yet even here, in 
the summer months, are cafes, and reading-rooms, 
and I believe ball-rooms too, with many of the 
accustomed imitations of all that belongs to the 
gay world elsewhere ; and when we recollect that 
this place was first brought into celebrity by the 
residence of Madame Maintenon, who brought the 
young duke of Maine here for the benefit of its 
healing waters, we may well imagine that Bareges 
possesses some strong recommendation, to counter- 
balance so much that is gloomy in its situation, 
and savage in its scenery. 

The first symptom of the approach of autumn, 
which, however, I was unable to believe in at the 
time, had been the coming down of the flocks and 
herds from the mountains. These flocks, which 
used to fill the roads, had ceased to pass, at least a 
month before the middle of September. Often 



366 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



have I looked at the shepherds as I passed them 
on the road, and longed in vain to know what were 
their feelings on returning again to the abodes of 
men, after their companionship with all the sublime 
and solitary features of that pathless world which 
so long had been their home. Often have I longed 
to ask them where they had found shelter from the 
thunder-storms that rolled with such-awful grandeur 
amongst the hills ; where they had slept when the 
nights were dark and cheerless ; were they had 
been when the mountain tops where wrapped in 
clouds ; and how they had found companionship in 
those eagle heights, when days, and weeks, and 
months rolled on, and no human voice was ever 
near them. Their answer to these questions would 
probably have been a very simple one. For their 
companionship they might have pointed to the 
faithful dog; for their shelter, to the mountain 
cave, or to the little moveable straw house just 
long enough for a man to creep into, with which 
they are provided while watching their cattle on 
the hills. 

The last flock we saw, was one of a hundred 
sheep and three goats, which came every night 
from the adjoining mountain to lodge in a small 
pen, or pare, as it was called, placed for them in 
one of the meadows of St. Paul. This pen was 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



387 



moved every night, and the shepherd received two 
francs per day for lodging his sheep there. I had 
often wondered why there was along with every 
flock, about the proportion of three goats to a 
hundred sheep; and we then learned that the 
mountain dog, so important to the shepherd, was 
fed while in the mountains, by the milk of these 
goats. The dog belonging to this flock, used to 
stay beside the pen all night, while his master went 
away to sleep. He never attempted to drive the 
sheep when they went out, but always walked first 
with his master. I now discovered also, that the 
$heep which appeared to be led so patriarchally by 
love for their master, were in reality led by their 
love of the salt which he carried in his pocket, into 
which the goats often thrust their noses. I tried 
the experiment of distributing a little amongst 
them myself, but it made me quite too popular, 
and I was obliged to give the matter up ; for the 
sheep and goats of the Pyrenees, notwithstanding 
the mountain lives they lead for at least four 
months in the year, have so little idea of fearing 
any human being, that they scarcely can be made 
to move out of the way, w T hen you meet them on 
the road. 

The snow which had fallen so early this autumn, 
never disappeared from the mountains, though 



368 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



summer again smiled in the valleys ; and it was a 
curious sight to see the hills sprinkled with white 
almost as low down as the chateau of St. Paul, 
while immediately below its verdant terraces, the 
people were making hay in the fields. 

The cold we experienced at this season, was of 
very partial extent. Even at Tarbes, the weather 
was comparatively warm and dry ; and the family 
at St. Paul, on returning from a visit of some 
weeks to a situation not far distant from Toulouse, 
told us that they had been all the while in a climate 
of the most brilliant sunshine, while we had been 
enveloped in wintry clouds; and that such had 
been the heat and the glare of the atmosphere 
with them, that the windows had always been 
closed in with green blinds, during the middle of 
the day, while we went shivering from room to 
room, or looked out upon a landscape half enveloped 
in snow. 

Every one was now hastening from the moun- 
tains ; and Bagneres, that gay and cheerful little 
town, which had hitherto presented so lively a 
scene, was so entirely changed in its character and 
appearance, as to look as if some great calamity, 
some plague, or some general desolation, had 
stripped it of more than half its former occu- 
pants. All the principal shops, which during the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



369 



summer season are supplied by tradespeople from 
Toulouse, and other towns, were now closed; all 
its boarding-houses shut up ; and the fashionable 
promenade, a walk of about a mile in extent, w r hich 
used to be perfectly filled with evening loiterers, 
was now desolate, silent, and strewn with the dead 
leaves of the poplars, which came flickering down 
%vith every movement of their tall stems. 

The general disposition to escape to a warmer 
and more genial climate, seized us also; but it 
was not before the 30th of October that we were 
able to set out on our return to Pau. On that 
morning we left the old priory of St. Paul — the 
hospitable home where we had received so much 
kindness, never, in all human probability, to behold 
it again, our friends accompanying us at an early 
hour as far as one of the little bridges, where w r e 
had so often sat down to rest in our walks between 
Bagneres and St. Paul. 

The acquaintance which we make with nature is 
so much like friendship, that when I took my last 
near view of the majestic Pic du Midi, rising as I 
had so often seen it, over the dreary forest of burnt 
pines immediately behind St. Paul, I felt a melan- 
choly satisfaction in thinking I was not leaving it 
altogether, that I should again see it from a more 
distant point of view, arrayed in sublimer beauty. 
r3 



370 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



Still there was the limpid Adour with its many 
tributary streams ; the village of Aste, embowered 
in wood, with its venerable ruins, rich in remem- 
brances of the ancient glory of the family of 
Grammont; the flowery L'heris, with its noble 
crest rising above the neighbouring mountains ; 
the shepherd's hut on the far height; the beet- 
ling crags that seemed to change their colouring 
with every variation of the atmosphere ; the green 
terraces ; the tall poplars ; — these, with the nearer 
and more familiar objects, down to the cottage 
gardens by the side of the road, and the idiot 
boy who used to wheel his barrow with an air of 
as much importance as if he had ruled a king- 
dom ; — all these, I felt that I should never see 
again ; and such is the intercourse we hold with 
nature alone, that these had all become as fami- 
liar to me as if I had dwelt amongst them from 
ny childhood. 

The weather, early on the morning of our 
journey, had looked doubtful, but as the day 
idvanced it became beautiful in the extreme, and 
nore welcome to my feelings, for the cool freshness 
which mingled with the brilliant sunshine. Indeed, 
beautiful as the summer unquestionably is in the 
Pyrenees, the fine weather of autumn is in my 
opinion, far more conducive to enjoyment ; not the 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



371 



less so, because the aspect of nature then presents 
that striking effect of colouring, which contrasts 
the richest tints of foliage with the finest white of 
mountain snow. 

We had often been told that the range of the 
Pyrenees looked more splendid from Tarbes than 
from Pau, and we had now an opportunity of 
judging of this fact for ourselves, the day being 
most favourable for such a purpose. But whether 
it is that first impressions are the strongest, or 
merely that tastes and ideas of beauty differ, we 
did not think the mountains, when seen from 
Tarbes, so fine as from the situation in which we 
had at first beheld them at Pau. They may 
possibly appear higher, but there are fewer points 
of distinction. All seem to run into one vast 
connected line, while from Pau we can see them 
separate into more distinct ranges, rising from the 
plains, and running up into the most majestic 
heights, which maintain a certain degree of indi- 
viduality, even while blended by the effect of 
distance into one general line. The Pic du Midi 
de Bigorre, certainly appears higher from Tarbes, 
?\nd we have here the advantage of seeing the 
mountains of Bagneres de Luchon, which are not 
risible from Pau. 

I cannot mention this latter place without a 



372 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



feeling of regret, that we were never able to 
accomplish a journey to it from Campan, from 
which place it is reached by a ride of eight or ten 
hours across the mountains. We had ordered 
horses for this purpose from Bagneres, more than 
once, but were disappointed every time, either by 
a change in the weather, or by our horses, as is 
frequently the case in this part of France, failing to 
come at the appointed time. Mr. Ellis made part 
of the journey, in company with a party of friends, 
to the Col d' Aspen, situated on this route, from 
whence may be seen at once, three distinct valleys, 
and a vast range of snowy and apparently inac- 
cessible mountains. The carriage road from Bag- 
neres, is said to be scarcely less beautiful and 
astonishing, leading into a stupendous defile of 
mountains along the course of the river Garonne, 
which takes its rise from one of the lakes above 
Bagneres de Luchon. 

It is no uncommon thing for travellers to speak 
in terms of glowing enthusiasm, of the beauty of 
the plain of Tarbes. I can only imagine those 
who do so, to have become tired of mountains, and 
pleased to get out into a perfect flat, for such it is, 
surrounded by richly wooded hills. Perhaps at 
the time we were there, it appeared to the least 
advantage ; for the Indian corn, which covers 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



373 



nearly the whole surface, was then stripped of its 
waving leaves; while nothing remained of it in 
the fields, but the dry brown stem, with the cob 
at the top, which the people were then busily 
gathering; and this state of the Indian corn 
harvest, sufficiently accounted for the uniformly 
brown colouring of the country which we had 
observed from the mountain heights, when looking 
over this plain, and the extent of country stretch- 
ing towards Toulouse. 

Tarbes appears to be more a place of business, 
and less of pleasure, than Pau ; but like that town, 
it has its immense barracks, and seems to be half 
filled with soldiers. It has its place too, or square 
for public walking ; for what could the French do 
without such a resource ? In vain to them would 
mountains rise, and valleys slope before their view. 
Without their public square of bare gravel, and 
their rows of stunted trees, they w r ould have no 
spot of ground on which to refresh themselves 
w T ith a walk. Even St. Paul, with its cool avenues, 
and green shades, and verdant turf beneath the 
feet, was considered a little too triste for a length- 
ened residence ; and the lady of the mansion was 
one day asked by a Frenchwoman, if she did not 
often drive over to Bagneres to walk on the 
Coustous. 



874 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



I must not, however, undervalue these most 
convenient places of promenade to the stranger, 
to whom the general leisure of French travelling 
allows, as it did to us at Tarbes, two hours for 
breakfast. Here then I walked, until our vehicle 
was ready, with the "snow shining mountains" 
stretching in a magnificent range before my view, 
alternately looking at them, and turning to objects 
less sublime ; amongst which I observed that the 
whole arrangement of the luggage on the top of 
the diligence, was conducted by a woman, who 
lifted and stowed all the packages, climbing up and 
down with a facility that showed she was well accus- 
tomed to the occupation. 

I think I never shall forget the balmy atmo- 
sphere of that day, rendered perhaps the more 
striking to us, from our having lived so long 
amongst the sharp air of the mountains, which 
differs widely from that of the plains. I had been 
prepared to expect that the climate of the south of 
France would be relaxing to the bodily frame, and 
consequently depressing to the spirits. So far 
from this, however, I do not recollect once to have 
felt during my whole residence in the south, that 
causeless and indescribable dejection of mind 
which most of the inhabitants of our northern isle 
at times experience, and which no one is perhaps 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



375 



more intimately acquainted with than myself. I 
know not whether the malady is mental or physical, 
or both ; but I believe many of my country people 
will bear me out in the assertion, that one of the 
greatest drawbacks upon individual happiness, and 
one of the greatest hinderances to laudable exer- 
tion, w T hich we experience in England, arises from 
a want of elasticity of spirit and animal vigour, — 
from a sort of sinking of the soul, if I may so 
express myself, which often makes the dawn of 
each successive morning appear like a renewal of 
hopeless conflict; every unexpected event a fresh 
hinderance to the course we have to pursue ; and 
every necessary exertion an insupportable trial. It 
requires, I am well aware, a combination of many 
causes, before the disease attains this height. It 
is not my business now to enter into any farther 
remarks upon what these causes are, or may be. 
All I wish to state in relation to the subject is, 
that in the south of France this peculiar and 
apparently causeless depression is seldom known, 
except as the result of bodily disease. Nor do I 
speak merely from my own experience. I have 
the testimony of others to the same fact. The 
effect of real affliction is unquestionably the same 
in all climates ; but in that of the south of France, 
supposing the mind to be free from the pressure 



376 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



of actual calamity, there is an effect produced by 
the clearness of the atmosphere, the brightness of 
the sunshine, and the elasticity of the air, which 
makes the mere animal sensation of being alive, of 
breathing, ' and moving, a perpetual enjoyment. 
All who read these pages, but especially the young, 
will be able to realise the kind of sensation expe- 
rienced, in setting out on a pleasant journey, on a 
fine bright morning, in company with the friends 
they love best, leaving nothing behind them to 
regrets and fancying much before them to invite. 
Now something like this sensation seems to return 
with every morning, in the delightful climate I 
have endeavoured to describe — something which 
makes another day be welcomed as another bless- 
ing — something which makes the very air we 
breathe, at once a refreshment and a balm ; which 
sends the sunshine like light into the soul, and 
which opens all the springs of animal enjoyment, 
to flow with fresh vigour through their natural 
channels of energy and feeling. 

All this, I am aware, may be deemed somewhat 
fanciful by those whose feelings are not influenced 
like my own, by impressions produced on the out- 
ward senses ; yet one strong evidence that such is 
really the effect of this climate, I have often thought 
might be found in the almost uniform cheerfulness 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



377 



of the native inhabitants of the country. What 
else, for instance, could enable the poor women to 
endure fatigue and labour as they do ? What else 
could reconcile them to the life of poverty and 
privation which so many of them lead ? And what 
else could render them so cheerful and contented, 
that they have scarcely a wish for higher advan- 
tages, or greater facilities than they now enjoy? 
It may be said that the poor Irish are cheerful 
under circumstances far more depressing, and with 
a climate very different from that of Beam. But 
the Irish are cheerful in a widely different manner 
from the Bearnais. Theirs is the cheerfulness of 
fitful mirth, the lightheartedness of reckless gaiety, 
more melancholy, more touching in its transient ex- 
uberance, than the most uniform and settled gloom. 
The cheerfulness of the Bearnais is that of regu- 
larly animated industry, of the careful husbanding 
of all the means with which their limited know- 
ledge has brought them acquainted; and thus it 
never fails them in winter or summer, in storm or 
sunshine ; for each individual having his wealth 
and his power within himself, and no human 
influence to conciliate or to fear, he is able to 
gather in security and peace, the full return of his 
unremitting activity. 

The opinion of Sir James Clarke with regard to 



378 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the climate of Pau is, that it is bad for rheumatism, 
as well as for cases of bronchial disease accom- 
panied with much general relaxation ; and that for 
consumptive patients it is too changeable. He 
recommends that invalids should arrive in Septem- 
ber or October, and leave in May or June. He 
agrees with all travellers in stating, that the most 
striking characteristic of this climate is its calmness, 
high winds being of rare occurrence, and of short 
duration. 

Although more than ever convinced of the many 
disadvantages belonging to the climate of England, 
on almost every other ground my prejudices in 
favour of that country were strengthened by a 
year's residence in France. With these prejudices 
it was natural to prefer returning to Pau, to making 
the experiment of wintering in any place less fre- 
quented by the English ; for, unlike many travellers, 
I can truly say that the kindness and social fellow- 
ship of the people of my own country, have consti- 
tuted one of my greatest pleasures while abroad. 
The town and neighbourhood of Pau are also 
becoming more Anglicised every year. The addi- 
tion of many handsome buildings, during the past 
year, had been made to some of the principal 
streets ; while the increase of many of those com- 
brts of life, to which the English are accustomed 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



379 



to attach at least their full share of value, indicate 
a disposition on the part of the inhabitants of Pau 
to render their beautifully situated town still more 
inviting to strangers than it already is. It is 
curious, indeed, to see the attempts that are made 
to meet the wants and the wishes of our country- 
people, even down to mince-pies on Christmas 
day ! 

To invalids, however, there are advantages of far 
greater importance; for it is in cases of sickness 
and affliction, that early prepossessions, and home 
associations, are often awakened in the most lively 
manner. Here, then, the suffering patient can 
have the kind attentions of English doctors, there 
being two regularly residing in the place, with the 
frequent addition of others visiting it for their own 
health; and when we consider that many invalids 
are hastened away from England with very little 
time for preparation, and often arrive here imper- 
fectly acquainted with the language, the satisfac- 
tion of being placed under the care of an English 
doctor is sometimes one of no trivial importance to 
the friends of the patients, as well as to the suf- 
ferers themselves. 

For those English gentlemen who felt the time 
hang heavily on their hands, there was an English 
news-room the first winter we spent at Pau. We 



380 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



found on our arrival there the second time, that it 
had been given up. This loss, however, may be 
easily supplied, as all newspapers can be sent from 
England at the trifling expense of one sous. Ad- 
joining what was then the news-room, is an English 
circulating library and stationer's establishment, 
where a great variety of English books may be 
had, including some of the most ornamental works 
which grace the drawing-rooms of England. 

On our return to Pau this time, we were more 
than ever struck with the loveliness of the sur- 
rounding scenery, — the foliage then glowing in the 
richest tints of autumn, while the mountain heights 
were clothed in the purest snow. We soon, how- 
ever, had to experience the general severity of the 
weather, from which even these sunny regions were 
not exempt. Cold winds and storms of snow com- 
menced as early as November; and the weather 
throughout the whole winter was so strikingly 
contrasted with the first season we had spent at 
Pau, that we could well believe what the people o 
the country told us, that the first winter was a 
specimen of the best — the second, of the worst 
weather to which their climate is ever subject, 
nothing like it having been known for the space of 
at least ten years. 

Still there were occasionally those sudden and 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



381 



astonishing changes which seemed to transport us, 
in the course of a few hours, to an opposite region 
of the globe. On no occasion was this more 
striking to us, than on the day of the funeral of an 
American gentleman, who had come all the way 
from Boston, in a state of hopeless consumption. 
He had been but two months at Pau, and the 
weather had been most ungenial all the time. 
On the morning of his death it suddenly changed ; 
and when his mortal remains were committed to 
the grave, attended by many of the English 
gentlemen of the place, but by no relative, the 
balmiest, gentlest air was blowing, that I ever 
remember to have experienced; while the most 
brilliant sunshine was rapidly melting the snows, 
even on the distant mountains. 

After one of these pleasant changes, some 
months later in the spring, Mr. Ellis took the 
opportunity of making an excursion to a part of 
the Pyrenees we had not yet visited ; and in a 
short journey of three days, he became convinced, 
that those who neglect to visit Oleron, and the 
valley d'Aspe, will leave unexplored some of the 
most striking beauties of this country. 

Leaving the road to Eaux Chaudes, at Gan, he 
took the route to Oleron, which for five or six 
miles is extremely hilly, until, on passing Biller, it 



382 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



descends into a broad valley, and becomes level 
and good for the remaining distance, about ten 
miles. 

Oleron was one of the ancient bishoprics of 
Beam. Its cathedral, though as large as that of 
Lescar, is greatly inferior in its style of architec- 
ture and ornaments. Oleron and St. Marie con- 
tain a population of ten thousand. It has several 
manufactories, but the traffic it has long carried on 
with Spain, is said to be on the decline. The 
numerous and respectable-looking villas in its 
suburbs, indicate the prosperity of the place ; and 
the larger size, and more excellent order of the 
fields, afford agreeable evidence of the improved 
state of agriculture in this neighbourhood. A dili- 
gence passes daily from Oleron through the valley 
d'Aspe, to Jaca, in Spain ; and for five francs, the 
tourist may thus be conveyed to the farthest town 
on the French frontier, the road which runs rather 
to the eastward of south winds with the course 
of the beautiful river, the Gave d'Aspe, along the 
valley of that name, the ascent all the way being 
exceedingly gradual, and the road in excellent 
order. 

On reaching the village of Bidos, which lies to 
the left of the road, the traveller is surrounded by 
a number of green and beautifully-shaped conical 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



383 



hills, v whieh lie scattered at the feet of this range of 
the Pyrenees, and constitute one of the most 
characteristic features in the scenery. Villages 
are now seen at intervals on both sides of the 
valley, which gradually becomes narrower ; and at a 
short distance beyond Escot, the buttresses of lofty 
sugar-loaf mountains intersect each other, adding 
greatly to the picturesque effect of the scene, by 
giving a serpentine form to the course of the Gave, 
and the road by its side. 

Bedous, situated at the distance of three hours' 
journey from Oleron, is the last post town on this 
route. It contains about twelve hundred inhabi- 
tants, and has one auberge, where, though it cannot 
boast of greater cleanliness than most French inns 
in this neighbourhood, excellent refreshments may 
be had, and saddle-horses procured at a moderate 
rate. Immediately beyond Bedous, the valley 
spreads out into a beautiful hollow or plain, around 
which are seen no less than five respectable-looking 
villages. In one of these, Osse, there is a Protest- 
ant community of thirty families, who in this wild 
and remote region have retained the faith of the 
Bible, in opposition to the influence of Rome, to 
which, others more favoured in many respects, 
have long since submitted. 

A little farther to the right of the circular 



384 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



plain is the village of Accous, the birthplace of 
Despourrins, the poet of the Pyrenees, whose songs 
in the native language of the people, are not only 
held in the highest estimation by the mountaineers 
themselves, but are deservedly popular throughout 
the whole of the south of France. It is scarcely 
possible to imagine a region more fitted to call 
into exercise the elements of poetic feeling than 
this, or more calculated to give sublimity and 
power to the habitual tone of the human mind. 
In front of the village is the plain already noticed, 
probably about two miles across, highly cultivated, 
and adorned with the cottages and villages of the 
peasantry. Mountains rise beyond, of varied ele- 
vation, some clothed almost to their summits with 
grass, or the bright and feathery box waving above 
grey jutting rocks of marble, — and others barren, 
inaccessible, and apparently covered with eternal 
snows ; while the secluded valley is intersected only 
by the sparkling stream which flows through its 
centre, to mingle with the Gave d'Oleron, and 
finally to cast itself into the Atlantic at Bayonne. 

On the other side of the valley, and behind the 
poet's native village, the Christalara and other 
mountains of equal elevation and wilder forms, 
covered with apparently deeper snows, rear a 
lofty and apparently impassable barrier, between 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



385 



this romantic region and the celebrated valley 
d'Ossau. In front of Accous, on the summit of a 
gracefully-formed hill, partially covered with trees, 
and traversed by winding paths, a chaste and beau- 
tiful obelisk of marble from the quarries in the 
adjacent mountains, has been erected in honour 
of the memory of Despourrins, and appropriately 
associates the recollections of the mountain bard, 
with the grandeur of the scenery amongst which he, 
in all probability, found his inspiration and his theme. 

The road from Accous to Eggum leads through 
scenes of grandeur and beauty equal to any in the 
Pyrenees, especially near the ancient bridge d'Es- 
quelle. Not far from this place, by a path which 
leads to Lescun, the traveller may visit a beautiful 
cascade. Shortly after leaving the antique village 
of Estaut, his attention is arrested by a road 
called Le Chemin de Maniere, one of the most asto- 
nishing designs of a genius to which few things 
appeared impossible. It is built up, in some places, 
from deep parts of the ravine ; and in others, 
actually cut out of the face of a perpendicular 
rock, at the distance of five hundred feet above the 
valley, and at an equal distance below the craggy 
summit of the mountain. This road was cut by 
the order of Buonaparte, for the purpose of bring- 
ing down timber from the pine forests which crown 
s 



386 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



the mountains beyond. The quality of the timber, 
it is said, was not found sufficiently good for the 
use of the navy of France, and the road is now 
seldom used. 

Nearly opposite this road, is the fortified pass 
called Portalet ; and at a quarter of an hour's ride 
beyond it, thirty miles from Oleron, is Urdos, the 
last French town ; shortly after leaving which, the 
traveller enters a narrow defile leading into Spain, 
which can only be passed on mules. From this 
place, a view is obtained of the craggy summit of 
the Mont d'Aspe, which gives the name to the 
valley over which it seems to preside. 

The traffic through this valley is great. Not 
fewer than fifteen thousand mules pass along the 
road into Spain every year. An equal number 
pass also through the valley of Ossau, by Eaux 
Chaudes and Gabas, and probably as many by 
Cauterets and Gavarnie; and as the French 
government imposes a tax on each animal im- 
ported into Spain, a very considerable revenue 
must be collected at each of these mountain passes. 

Mr. Ellis was much struck with the character of 
the people in the valley d'Aspe, who appeared 
clean, active, good-natured, and cheerful, resem- 
bling those of Ossau, and far superior to the inha- 
bitants of the department of the Hautes Pyrenees. 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



387 



This superiority, as well as the general appearance 
of order, industry, and prosperity in the neighbour- 
hood of Oleron, may doubtless be accounted for in 
some measure, by the facility of communication 
between that place and Bayonne. His general 
impression was one most favourable to this region 
of the Pyrenees, a visit to which will amply repay 
the lover of nature in her wildest and most beauti- 
ful form. 

Having now visited, as far as was practicable to 
us, all the situations most admired and most fre- 
quented ia the Pyrenees, and the time having 
arrived for our return to England, we prepared, 
with much pleasure, to bid adieu to scenes which, 
notwithstanding their many attractions, we still felt 
were not our home ; and in conclusion, we asked 
this serious question, which it ought to be the 
business of all travellers to answer to themselves, 
on leaving a foreign country — what have we seen 
that we desire to imitate ? what, that we ought to 
study more earnestly than ever to avoid ? 

I should say without hesitation, that what I have 
most admired amongst the French, has been their 
obliging good nature, and the simplicity which 
characterises many of their habits. Yes, I repeat 
it — their simplicity. We are apt to imagine, be- 



388 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



cause we are more blunt — perhaps because we are 
more vulgar in England, that we must be more 
simple. Yet there is certainly a species of vul- 
garity — that of pretension — from which the French 
are comparatively exempt. In France, a peasant 
is a peasant, a shopkeeper a shopkeeper, and 
consequently a gentleman a gentleman. I do not 
mean that the last two, or even the first and the last, 
are incompatible ; but I mean that they are never 
farther from being so, than when men are ashamed 
to appear what they really are. In France, too, 
there exists a~ degree of moral courage, which 
might put our country to shame, and which con- 
sists in daring to be poor — in dressing and living 
according to their means, when those means are 
extremely limited. This is what I call simplicity ; 
and when this is found in connexion with the 
influence of Christian principle, how much does 
it adorn the character of those whose profession is 
one of meekness and lowliness of heart ! 

The greatest defect I have observed in the 
French character, as compared with the English, 
is a want of strict regard to the truth ; and in this 
remark I would be understood to refer merely to 
that limited portion of France which has fallen 
under my immediate observation. Even here I 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



389 



am willing to grant, that half the falsehoods told, 
are invented for the sake of amusing, or giving 
pleasure; but if the license to speak what is known 
to be untrue be once admitted, no human power 
can stem the tide of evil thus let in, or say for what 
selfish or mean purpose this license may not be 
employed. The want of truth is consequently 
one which neither amiable feeling, nor brilliant 
intellect, can possibly supply; and if as a nation, the 
English have more regard for truth in their social 
and domestic intercourse, than their neighbours 
on the other side of the channel, long may they 
cherish a distinction which forms the only true 
basis of national and individual greatness. 

With regard to travelling abroad, an amusement 
which is generally thought to improve the manners 
and expand the mind, so far as I have had an 
opportunity of judging of its effects, I am decidedly 
of opinion, that except where health requires it, in 
nine cases out of ten, it is more injurious than 
beneficial to the English character. I am quite 
prepared to allow that there are cases, where the 
religious foundation of the character is well esta- 
blished, and where the mind is already so far 
enlightened, as to understand and appreciate what 
is really most worthy of admiration, that great 
s2 



390 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



advantage may result from travelling abroad. 
Generally speaking, however, such is not the case 
with those who travel ; and to the common or4er 
of minds, educated in the popular manner, nothing 
can be more hazardous to the formation of 
character, than long-continued travelling abroad. 
The mere fact of being hurried away from the 
natural sphere of relative and domestic duties, and 
kept in a continued state of excitement as to where 
to go, and what to see next, is of itself, a dangerous 
experiment for youth to make. But in addition 
to this, there is the absence of those accustomed 
barriers of protection, which a religious education 
places around the family circle when at home. By 
absolute necessity, some of these are removed 
when travelling abroad ; by carelessness or indiffer- 
ence, others follow ; until, in an almost incredibly 
short space of time, the same individuals have 
learned to tolerate what they once regarded with 
horror, and to turn with disgust from what was 
once esteemed as the highest privilege. 

Nor is this change, so often wrought upon the 
minds of the young, less fatal in its consequences 
from the gradual and insidious progress which it 
makes. Perhaps the first encroachment upon re- 
ligious habits, is necessarily made by the omission 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



391 



of family worship. Next comes the absence of all 
means of public worship, and so on, until little by 
little the whole course of life and habit is changed ; 
while on the other hand, the good-natured and 
amiable affability of foreigners, who are even pro- 
fessedly without religion, combined with that gentle- 
ness, kindness, and urbanity of manner, which Chris- 
tians would do well to imitate, has a startling effect 
upon the minds of the young, and often leads them 
to compare the engaging manners of their new 
acquaintance, who make no pretension to religion, 
with the bluntness, homeliness, or austerity of some 
of the religious professors they have left at home. 

Superficial as all conclusions drawn from such 
observations must necessarily be, they are such as 
the mind of youth is not slow to arrive at ; and for 
this reason, as well as many others, I am convinced 
there is great danger in bringing young persons of 
unformed character, abroad. The more we are 
inured in early life to the performance of practical 
duty, the stronger will be our moral basis, the more 
consistent our religious life. Let duty be the goal 
at which we aim, and pleasure will not fail to be 
found by the way ; but if amusement, even of an 
apparently wholesome and natural character, be 
made the business of life, duty will soon be found 



392 



SUMMER AND WINTER 



too irksome to be regarded, and will eventually be 
either ungraciously performed, or wholly given up. 

The business of travelling is to see all that is 
worth seeing in one place, to lay plans for leaving 
it, and then to hurry on to another. After years 
spent in this manner, is it reasonable to expect that 
a family of daughters will settle down into their 
relative positions, and remain quietly at home? 
Will they not rather grow listless when there is no 
longer any novelty to see ? fretful when there is no 
change to anticipate ? and depressed and spiritless 
when there is no excitement to lead on to exertion ? 

Far happier in her own feelings, and in her 
influence upon others, is that unaspiring individual, 
who having stored her mind with the information 
of the most intelligent travellers, is satisfied to 
remain within the home circle formed around the 
domestic hearth, filling up the measure of daily 
duty, and willing either to go or to stay, as the 
good or the happiness of others may require. The 
mere act of travelling can add nothing to the 
peace of mind, or the satisfaction with which such 
a life is accompanied ; nor can the absence of what 
is generally regarded as amusement, take anything 
from that peace away. If it never happens in the 
lifetime of such an individual, that duty calls her 



IN THE PYRENEES. 



393 



abroad, she will not be less estimable as a daughter, 
a wife, or a mother ; and if it should occur in her 
experience, that duty leads her from her native 
land, she will be one of the first to feel and appre- 
ciate all the additional pleasure she is by this 
means enabled lawfully to enjoy. 



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THE 

DAUGHTERS of ENGLAND 

THEIR POSITION IN SOCIETY, 
CHARACTER, AND RESPONSIBILITIES. 

BY THE AUTHOR OF " THE WOMEN OF ENGLAND." 



There can be no more gratifying circumstance to a writer, 
than to find that a subject which has occupied her thoughts, 
and employed her pen, has also been occupying the thoughts 
of thousands of her fellow-beings ; but she is gratified in a still 
higher degree to find, that the peculiar views she entertains on 
that subject, are beginning to be entertained by a vast number 
of the rational and thinking part of the community at large, 
with whom she was not previously aware of sharing, either in 
their sympathy or their convictions. 

Such are the circumstances under which " The Women of 
England" has been received by the public, with a degree of 
favour, which the merits of the work alone would never have 
procured for it. And as no homage of mere admiration could 
have been so welcome to the author, as the approval it has 
met with at many an English hearth, she has been induced to 
ask the attention of the public again, to a farther exemplifica- 
tion of some subjects out slightly touched upon, and a candid 
examination of others which found no place, in that work, 



The more minute the details of individual, domestic, and 
social duty, to which allusion is made, the more necessary it 
becomes to make a distinct classification of the different eras 
in woman's personal experience ; the Author, therefore, pro- 
poses dividing the subject into three parts, in which will be 
separately considered the character and situation of the Daugh- 
ters, Wives, and Mothers of England. 

The Daughters of England only form the subject of the 
present volume : and as in a former work the remarks which 
were offered to the public upon the social and domestic duties 
of woman, were expressly limited to the middle ranks of society 
in Great Britain ; so, in the present, it must be clearly under- 
stood as the intention of the writer to address herself most 
especially to the same interesting and influential class of her 
countrywomen. Much that is contained in that volume, too, 
might with propriety have been repeated here, had not the 
Author preferred referring the reader again to those pages, 
assured Lbat she will be more readily pardoned for this liberty, 
than for transcribing a fainter copy of what was written in the 
first instance fresh from the heart. 

It seems to be the peculiar taste of the present day to write, 
and to read, on the subject of woman. Some apology for thus 
taxing the patience of the public might be necessary, were it 
not that both honour and justice are due to a theme, in which 
a female sovereign may, without presumption, be supposed to 
sympathize with her people. Thus, while the character of the 
daughter, the wife, and the mother, are so beautifully exem- 
plified in connection with the dignity of a British Queen, it is 
the privilege of the humblest, as well as the most exalted of 
her subjects, to know that the heart of woman, in all her ten- 
derest and holiest feelings, is the same beneath the shelter of 
a cottage, as under the canopy of a throne. 



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